Things are Looking up
by emikae
Summary: Complete, Severitus, First story, not very good, and not reccomended for reading. Run away from this story.
1. Prolouge

"Boy. Get up."  
Harry was awakened by his Uncle's voice. Not wanting another beating for being late, he got up quickly and hurriedly crossed the room. Only to find the door locked by his cousin. Harry sighed. "Thanks Dudley. I never want to miss my morning beating." He stood by the door waiting for his uncle to return and let him out.  
"Harry, why aren't you out here yet?"  
"The door is locked, Aunt." He then heard the lock in his door turning. Petunia opened the door and threw some clothes in. "Here. Put these on after you wash up." Harry held up the clothes in amazement. They looked like they might actually fit him!  
"But why?"  
"Vernon has decided that we are going camping. Amazingly enough you are coming along." A brief look of worry flickered behind her eyes. "Tread carefully Harry. He seems to be planning something."  
"Why are you being so nice?"  
Petunia paused before answering, as if she was deciding what to tell him. "I realized what it would be like to be all alone in the world except for an aunt, uncle and cousin. If those only relatives were unkind..." Petunia trailed off. "I'm sorry Harry, I hope that you can forgive me for how I treated you."  
"Oh." Harry was amazed at his aunt's change of heart. "Of course I'll forgive you. Is there anything else that you would like to tell me?" It felt weird to e asking her something like that.  
"There is one thing." A look of incredible joy claimed Petunia's face. She crossed the threshold into Harry's room and shut the door. "Come and sit on your bed with me."  
"Okay."  
"It that's well, I think that I'm—" Petunia was cut off by the sound of Vernon stomping up the stairs.  
"Petunia! Where are you?"  
"I'm just giving Ha—the boy, the new clothes."  
"All right then. We're leaving in an hour. Time to get Dudley up. Have the boy start making breakfast. Bacon and eggs with toast and fresh squeezed orange juice. HE should be ale to manage that. BOY! I want the bacon crisp. Not black like two days ago."  
"Yes Uncle Vernon."  
"What did I hear? Did I hear you call me Uncle Vernon?"  
"Yes... sir" Harry spat the name out with distaste. Since he had gotten back from Hogwarts, his uncle had insisted upon being called 'sir'. That little slip would cost him dearly.  
"Come here boy."  
Harry strode over quickly. HE kept his back straight as a last defense. In the few weeks Harry had been back he had learned if he tried to delay the beatings they were worse.  
"Turn around."  
Harry obeyed.  
Harry heard his uncle taking his belt off. So it's his belt today. I suppose it's better than the glass frying pan from last week. Especially when that broke. I'm still picking shards of glass out of myself. Harry heard his uncle draw the belt back. He began to think of Ron and Hermione. "Think of Hogwarts. Think of Hogwarts." He murmured.  
  
Vernon's pov   
The bloody boy had no right to call him by his name. None at all. Which was why he had expressly forbid it. If the boy wasn't a wizard. HE would haven't even have had to keep him. Oh NO, Dumbledore decided to make it so that they had to keep the boy. It was keeping him from divorcing Petunia. If the woman could only give him one son, and a nancy-boy at that, she wasn't worth keeping. He had loved her a little in the beginning, but things changed. Especially when she had told him what she was after the boy told them that Voldemort was back. He needed a proper heir. This was going to be a beating to remember. Vernon took off his belt.  
When he heard the boy muttering 'Think of Hogwarts' over and over, that just added to his fury. "What was that you said boy?"  
"Nothing sir." Harry stammered.  
  
"Oh it was certainly something. That is going to make it even worse."  
By the time Vernon finished with Harry, he was unconscious and bleeding from the marks the belt made on his back. "Petunia you can fix him up." Petunia glanced up at him fearfully, as if he was going to do the same to her. He wouldn't of course. Petunia followed Vernon out of the room, but she want and got the wand that she had inherited from a distant cousin. Something Malfoy.  
  
Petunia's pov  
This time Vernon had gone too far. It would be time to send for him. After she had fixed Harry up of course. It wouldn't do Harry any good for hime to see harry in his condition. With the few healing spells she had learned from Lily's textbooks, she figured that she would be able to at least fix Harry's wounds some.  
As Petunia finished bandaging Harry up she winced when she saw the time. Only ten minutes to get ready.  
"Petunia!" OH Lord, What does he want now?  
"Yes dear?  
"Get all of the boy's things! He's going on an extended vacation."  
"Yes, Vernon."  
"Aunt." Harry was waking up  
"Yes Harry?"  
"Is he going to leave me there?"  
"Yes."  
"Are you suppoused to get my things?"  
"Yes."  
"Would you mind..."  
"What is it Harry?"  
"There's a loose floorboard under the bed."  
Petunia laughed. "Of course. I'll get your things out from under there. Is there anything else you want to keep in here?"  
"No. Nothing that matters. I was careful to keep everything important hidden." Harry said weakly.  
"Yes. Now you just rest."  
"Thanks." Harry slipped back into unconsciousness.  
  
What happens between now and when Harry wakes up  
A/N: Nothing really important happens here, so I'll just summarize it.  
Harry and his stuff is carted out to the car.  
Petunia funds a side trip to McDonalds for the breakfast that Harry wasn't able to cook.  
Dudley and Vernon argue over who gets the last burger. Petunia hides it for Harry.  
Harry wakes up. (From the arguing)  
  
Harry's pov  
My back aches. I wonder why. Oh yeah. I called him uncle. I'll never make that mistake again. Especially since I'll be ditching them before they can ditch me. It smells good in here. Like a fast food place. That would be why, Harry thought, spying the wrappers from McDonalds. Petunia had noticed that he was awake and was holding the last burger out to him. He took it.  
"Thank you."  
"You're welcome"  
It was the first food that Harry had had in a few days.  
  
"Dad?"  
"Yes Dudley."  
"Where exactly are we going to go camping?"  
"Some small place that was practically destroyed by a gas explosion nearly twenty years ago. It's called Grodric's Hollow or something. 


	2. Old Friends of the Family

A/N: I hope this is good. I had some trouble with the formating, but it should be fine now. I forgot to say that all of the characters belong to J.k Rowling. so far i don't have anybody of my own invention in the story. Yet.  
  
Chapter Two  
Harry woke up to the car stopping at a campground. There were tall trees that surrounded the area. A low stone wall went through the edge of the campground, and a small creek went through the center.  
"Get the things out of the car, boy." "Yes, Sir." Even though Harry's back was still one big ache, he was still expected to work.  
"Vernon, couldn't he have a small rest. I'm sure that his back hurts a bit."  
"Petunia if you want him not to work, you can do his chores."  
"Okay Vernon."  
Petunia helped Harry unpack their things and set up the tent. "Harry would you go to town and buy some groceries form the grocers?"  
"Yes Aunt." Petunia gave Harry ten pounds and a list.   
-eggs  
-milk   
-bread   
-butter  
-matches  
"Is that all that you would be needing me to get Aunt?"  
"Yes that's all. Now hurry before it gets dark."  
"Okay." Harry hurried towards the small village. The name sounded familiar to him, but he couldn't remember where he had heard it before. It reminded him of the wizarding world so it might be where one of his friends lived. Harry had reached the first cottage in the small town—more a village really. 'I wonder where the grocers is.' Some instinct told him to walk down the middle lane and turn left, then right.  
To his surprise he had ended up in front of an building with big glass windows and a large fruit stand in the front. There was a sign that said: Grodric's Hollow Grocer's. Harry smiled because eggs were on sale and he would be able to get himself some fruit. He walked in.  
"Well if it isn't Harry Potter. Finally returned to Grodric's Hollow. It's been awhile young master, but welcome."  
"Excuse me, I don't mean to be rude, but how do you know my name?"  
"You look exactly like your father. Lily's eyes though."  
Harry's hopes rose at this. Someone who might have known his parents! "So, you knew my parents then?"  
"Knew them! James worked for me and my wife was there at your birth. So how long are you here for?"  
"I don't know. I'm with my aunt and uncle on a camping trip."  
"Camping! Just the best summer activity for a teenage boy."  
"I've never been before. It's all sort of new for me."  
"Well you've got nothing to worry about. Just keep your wand with you at all times. You never know just who might sneak up on you. Name's Kevin Broadmoor."  
Harry jaw dropped. "You—You're."  
"Heard of me then," the old man said smiling.  
"Yes."  
"I quit playing quidditch. My wife, girlfriend at the time, didn't like the risk. Didn't matter that she played chaser for another team. I think that chaser is just a teeny bit more dangerous the beater. Don't you agree?"   
"I agree."   
"I hear that you play seeker."  
"Youngest house player in over a century."  
"I still practice every once in a while. Maybe you could owl a few of your friends, and get them to come over. We could have a quidditch match on the pitch that I've got out back."  
"That sounds like fun."   
"Kevin!" Kevin winced. "Are you inviting more muggle children over to teach them how to play quidditch!"   
"No dear. Just Harry Potter and a few of his friends."   
"That's okay—did you say Harry Potter?" Catriona came down the dimly lit stairs the were behind the cash register.   
"Yes, dear."   
"Bless my soul, he's returned. It's nice to see you again Mr. Potter. It's been a great many years."   
"Yes I suppose it has been."   
"How long are you here for?"   
"He doesn't know, Catriona. He is just on a camping trip with his family."   
"The muggles?"   
"Yes." Harry said remembering why he was here. "I must get the groceries before they get mad."   
"Dear, they shouldn't get too angry with you."   
"You don't know the Dursleys then. My uncle will get mad at the slightest thing."   
"Catriona, let him get the groceries before he gets in trouble."   
"Okay Kevin."   
Harry hurriedly got the things on the list and a couple apples. He paid for the things and left the shop. He met his aunt on the way back to the campsite.   
"Oh Harry. It's good-bye. He says that since you aren't back we are leaving and you are staying behind," his aunt said with a hint of sadness in her face.   
"I'm sorry."   
"What are you sorry for? I'm the one who should be sorry."   
"Actually 'sir' is the one who should be sorry."   
"You are right about that. Don't bother trying to come back to Privet Drive, your uncle got a transfer to the states. It's only for a couple years or so, but we are going to sell the house and move to London when we get back."   
"Oh. I might end up in London. My godfather used to live there."   
"How is your godfather?"   
"He died fighting against Voldemort."   
Petunia gave Harry a hug. "Sweetie, I'm sorry."   
"It's okay. I've learned to live with it, I guess." Harry wasn't about to tell his aunt that he still dreamed of Sirius going through the veil, and that he still hoped that he might come back. The voices that he and Luna heard; couldn't only alive people and ghosts talk? Nick said that he wouldn't be a ghost. If he was going to come back as a ghost, wouldn't he have already done so?   
"I'm still sorry that he's gone."   
"Thanks." Harry smiled wickedly. His smiled resembled that of a certain potions master. "You do realize that Dumbledore is going to be very angry when he find out what my uncle is planning?"  
"I do."  
"Have you ever seen Dumbledore when he's very angry?"  
"No I haven't had that privilege yet."  
"I feel very sorry for someone who is on the wrong side of his rage."  
"Why?"  
"It's just that he is very scary. I've seen him angry twice."  
"When?"  
"Once in my fourth year when he was faced with a deatheater impersonating a teacher, and just a month or so ago when he fought Voldemort."  
"Oh. I've got to go as I don't want your uncle to get angry. I'll tell him that I couldn't find you. If you are in need of help, go to the grocers. He is a wizard and she is a witch. They knew your parents. If I have time I will send you a letter through them."  
"Thanks." Harry gave his aunt one last hug. And watched her form retreating into the growing darkness.  
"Harry! Your thing are at the campsite!"  
"Thanks!" Harry slowly walked to back to the campsite. He opened his trunk to put the food in it when he saw that his aunt had left him a tent and a pan. "That was kind of her." Finally realizing that he was left alone in the night, he sat down and began to cry.  
Mostly is was because of his aunts kindness. He tried to remember if he had ever seen her be that kind before. "Only to Dudley," he muttered. Harry set up the small tent and crawled inside. If only this were a wizard tent, then there'd be plenty of room inside. At lest there's room for my trunk and room he thought, dragging them inside the tent in case it rained during the night.  
A sudden pop distracted Harry from his thoughts. He saw who had apparated into his tent and smiled. "Hello."  
"Harry! Hi. What are you doing here, mate?"  
"I could ask the same of you."  
"Good point."  
"I'm camping. You're lucky the Dursleys decided to ditch me, or you'd have a very angry uncle Vernon here right about now."  
"Why don't we just do what we came here to do and then would it be okay for us to stay with you for the night."  
"We could enchant this tent."  
"Of course you can stay. Please Enchant the tent. It's just a it crowded with the three of us and my school stuff."  
"All right then." The newcomers said as one voice as they left to do whatever it was that they came to do.


	3. A New Friend

Harry woke up surrounded by a small swamp. He smiled, remembering the swamp the Fred and George had put in the hall at Hogwarts. "Fred! George! Would you two mind getting the swamp out of my room."  
Two freckled faces appeared at the door of his room in the enchanted tent. "Sorry mate. We thought that the swamp adds to the originality of the room."  
"I wouldn't get off of your bed if I were you." Fred said grinning.  
"Why would that be?"  
"Well right where you are it's about six feet deep."  
"George. It's only five. Remember, we fixed it so the deepest it could get is five feet." Fred told George.  
"Oh yeah, we didn't want anyone drowning in twelve foot deep swamp water."  
Harry edged towards the center of his bed. "Would you mind taking the swamp out of my room?"  
"It's okay mate. It's on a timer. It'll leave in an hour or so."  
"Where will it leave to?"  
"Dudley's room."  
"You guys are mean."  
"Yeah. Would you like a boat to get out of your room?"  
"That would be nice."  
One of the twins transfigured a reed into a small boat.  
"That's a tidy little spell there. Where did you learn it?"  
"It's a variation on the Canary Creams."  
"So I don't get to find out what it is?"  
"No. You're too smart."  
"You might be able to figure out the canary cream incantation and there goes that business." George clarified.  
"Hey! I'm one of your major sponsors here. Would I try and put you out of business?"  
"No. But competitors might be able to torture it out of you."  
"Or they could put some veritaserum in your pumpkin juice."  
"Point taken." Harry said as he climbed into the boat and tapped it with his wand. It began moving slowly towards the door. Harry shuddered as he remembered where he had heard the threat of having veritaserum put in his pumpkin juice before. Snivellus. Or as Ron called him, the greasy haired git.  
"Harry what do you want for breakfast?"  
"I'll make my own food, thank you very much."  
"Why don't you trust us?" Fred and George said together, their faces expressing mock hurt.  
"No I just don't want to get turned into a canary or something equally silly."  
"We wouldn't do that to you. Now would we Harry?" asked Fred innocently.  
"Yes we would. Don't lie to him."  
"No we wouldn't. Remember what mum said about testing our products on Harry."  
"Oh yeah." In nearly perfect imitation of Molly Weasly's voice the twins said, "If you want to live to see your joke shop be a success, don't you harm Harry. He's like a son to me."  
"I am?" Harry asked in amazement.  
"Course you are. You're Ron's best mate, tolerate dad's obsession for muggle things, and funded our joke shop. The only downside is that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is trying to kill you. A small downside, but as half the family's in the order, you've got great protection."  
"Thanks, I never really thought that anyone cared. Do you mind if I go for a walk?"  
"Not at all. We'll be leaving soonish. So bye. See you whenever."  
"Same to you." With that, Harry turned and left to take a short walk. As he was walking through the woods he came upon Kevin.  
"Hello Kevin. How are you today."  
"I'm fine, I was looking for you. Your aunt stopped at the shop as she was leaving with your uncle and cousin."  
"So you know that I am alone then?"  
"Yes."  
Kevin's last comment was met with silence. Harry noticed the silence and tried to fill it, "I'm not completely alone. I've got my owl and a snake found me and said that it wants to stay with me, so I've got someone to talk to."  
"Me 'n' Cat were talking last night after your aunt left. We thought that since we haven't hired anyone for a summer position in our store, it would be nice to hire you. It would be just some window cleaning, and shelf dusting. Possibly tending the shop full time for a week or so if the wife and I decide to go on a summer trip."  
"Cat?"  
"My wife. I call her Cat, it's short for Catriona. We agreed to pay you ten pounds, and a galleon weekly. (A/N: did you know that one knut is a little over nine and a half pounds??? If I did my figuring right... In Fantastic Beasts, there are some amounts. I think it's how much money comic relief has raised. It gives it in muggle money and wizard money. If I did my figuring wrong and someone knows the right way, please tell me.) If you need a place to stay, we have a small room in our loft."  
"I can stay in my tent. Fred and George enchanted it so it is very comfortable."  
"The Weasley brothers?"  
"Yes. Do you know them?"  
"I've got some of their products in my shop."  
"You sell Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes to muggles?" Harry asked incredulously.  
"Of course not. Well, maybe one in a great while." Kevin said obviously joking. "Mainly I keep them in the back room that I keep the wizarding things I sell in."  
"Do you get many wizards in your shop?"  
"Yes quite a few. Especially professors from your school. I've got some goods that are quite hard to obtain."  
"Illegal goods?"  
"That, my boy, is none of your business."  
Harry thought for a moment. He decided that the work experience wouldn't hurt him, and he would be able to make a few extra galleons.  
"Who were you warning me about?"  
"Oh. A long time ago the Marauder's hung out in these woods perfecting their pranks. Some er... lasting effects are still around today. Nothing really harmful, but at one point, my two children, Meaghan and Kirley got stuck in a section of the woods.  
"I'd love to know how the Marauder's managed to do that one." They had come back to Harry's tent and Fred and George were still there.  
"Well Fred why don't you find them and ask them." Kevin said with a grin.  
"Kevin, you knew the Marauder's and you never told us!" George accused Kevin.  
Harry smiled. "Well there's only two of them left now, and one of them I'd rather not talk to, but I'm sure Moony would love to tell you how they did that."  
"Harry! You too. Why?" Asked George mournfully.  
"You never asked," replied Harry.  
"I'm asking now," said Fred. "Who are they?"  
"Do you really want to know," Kevin asked, "Wouldn't it be more fun just to wonder?"  
"NO!" shouted Fred and George in unison.  
Kevin looked at Harry, "Would you like to tell them as you are closer to two of them than I am?"  
"Okay. Prongs is my father, Padfoot is my godfather, Wormtail is Peter Pettigrew, and Moony is Lupin."  
"No way."  
"Yes way."  
"We've GOT to talk to Lupin. What about this Peter fellow?"  
"You've met him. In fact you've lived with him."  
"Really." Fred said skeptically.  
"Did I mention that all four Marauders could take the shape of an animal."  
"NO." Fred and George said crossly.  
"Well Lupin is a werewolf, James was a Stag, Sirius was a large black dog who had an uncanny resemblance to the Grim, and Peter was a rat."  
"Scabbers!" Fred and George said in unison. "Whatever happened to him?"  
"He went back to his master."  
"His master." George questioned.  
"Voldemort."  
"Oh. Sorry I asked."  
George brightened, "It's cool that your dad was one of the Marauders."  
Harry smiled. "Tell Lupin 'hi' from me when you corner him."  
"Will do." With two pops, the twins disapparated.  
Kevin smiled at the spot where the twins had been. "Those two. Always foolin' around. Never a dull moment with Fred and George around. So are you going to take the job?"  
"Well, since I seem to be living on my own and living costs money, I guess that I'm going to have to get a job. Working at your shop seems convenient. I like the atmosphere there."  
"That's great then. You start tomorrow."  
"Thanks for offering the job. How many of the townspeople are still here that were here when..." Harry, unable to find appropriate words, just pointed at his scar.  
"When He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did your parents in?"  
"Yeah." The answer came quietly.  
"Quite a few. The ones that are though are mostly the old-timers and wizards. The old-timers because they have been here for ever and they didn't want to leave and wizards because they know what actually happened that night."  
"Oh. So I guess there'll be some gossip about me staying here."  
"There's always gossip in a small village when someone new comes in."  
"But there'll be more for me, as I'm the boy who lived."  
"Good point. I best be going as I only told Cat I'd be gone for a half hour. I've been gone for a good hour. Don't want her to think that I've got caught in one of the Marauders old tricks. She'd have your friend Lupin out here searching for me before you can say wronski feint."  
"Bye then." Harry said glumly, for he had the rest of a boring day by himself to look forward to. He brightened, remembering that he would see Kevin and Cat tomorrow. "See you tomorrow. What time do you want me there?"  
"We open at nine, so come at about eight thirty."  
"Okay then." Harry watched Kevin walk off through the woods towards the village.  
"Sso, then. What will we do for the resst of the day?" Asked the snake.  
"I don't know. What isss your name?"  
"Sserpentine."  
"Very ssnake like."  
"When I wass exploring your tent I ssaw ssome interessting bookss in the ssitting area."  
"Sso why don't we read then?"  
"That ssoundss like a plan." Harry picked out a rather large book that was about Hogwarts' Teachers. "Something Hermione would love to read." Harry muttered. He and Serpentine read for the rest of the day. Actually Harry read and Serpentine watched the pages of the books, being a young snake and not knowing how to read.  
  
A/N: Wow. This chapter is longer than I expected. I had some more things planned for this chapter, but some stuff took up more space, so I decided to end it here. There was suppoused to be a cliffy, but again, things took up more space.


	4. A Greasy Haired Git Being Not so Much of...

It had been a week since Harry had began working at the Grocer's. He and Kevin had become quite good friends despite the age difference. Catriona had told Harry that he could call her Cat a few days ago. That pleased Harry and Kevin as Cat only let a few people call her Cat. Mainly her close friends and mother.  
Harry was having fun working at the shop. He was working full time and was enjoying it. When Professor McGonagall had come yesterday she had gotten a shock, seeing Harry where he was. Harry had been dusting shelves in a corner that was a tad shadowy. "Excuse me. Could you please get the grocer?" Harry had replied. "Oh course, Professor." "How did you know who I am?" "You're my transfiguration teacher." Harry had stepped out into the light. "Potter! What are you doing here?" "Working. I'll go and get Kevin." "Potter. Get back here." "Sorry Professor, I'll go and get Kevin promptly." Harry had walked quickly to the back room. Harry had never been in there before. He looked around at all of the stuff a wizard might need. There were boxes upon boxes labeled with and illegible scrawl, and a whole wall filled with potions and their ingredients. "Wow. Kevin, you've got nearly everything." "I assume that you have a valid reason for being here?" "Yes, Professor McGonagall is here." "And you really don't want to have a chat with her?" "No not really." "Why don't you go on back to your tent, and I'll tell her that you are camping with your relatives and you are helping me out because my regular summer help is ill." Harry gave Kevin a hug. "Thanks. When are you going to want me to come back today." "No you've been doing a fine job. You deserve a little break." Harry grinned at the compliment. "Thanks." For the first time in a while Harry was really happy.  
  
"Harry. I'm hungry."  
"Sserpentine, you are alwayss hungry."  
"I know. Do you have any food?"  
"I'll go and check."  
"Good. I'll come with you."  
"You're around my neck, you'll have to come with me." Harry grinned. Knowing that going to the kitchen would be pointless, as Serpentine would just go out and hunt for a mouse.  
Looking in the three cupboards, Serpentine discovered that there wasn't anything that looked like she might want to eat. Serpentine slithered out of the tent into the woods grumbling something about how there wasn't any 'proper' food.  
"Have fun looking for food."  
"Well. If it isn't perfect Potter. Hiding in the woods and playing with the snakes."  
Draco Malfoy looked critically at Harry's tent. He wasn't about to tell Potter that his father had tried to make him join the Death Eaters and he had refused. His father had sent him to the Marauder's Woods.  
"Hello, Malfoy."  
"Potter." He acknowledged Potter's greeting with a slight nod and his name. "So are you camping?"  
"Yes."  
"Alone?"  
"Not completely."  
"Who are you with?"  
"I was with the muggles."  
"Really?"  
"They ditched me."  
"I'm sorry." Draco dropped the attitude, knowing that it would get him nowhere.  
"Really? I find that hard to believe Malfoy." Harry turned and began to walk back into his tent.  
"Wait." The word was out of Draco's mouth before he could stop it.  
Harry turned. He saw an emotion expressed on Draco's face that he had never seen before. Compassion. "Would you like to come in and have a cup of tea?"  
Draco smiled. "Sure. Could you do me a favor? Call me Draco. Malfoy reminds me of my father. Someone who I'd rather not be reminded of right now."  
"Sure."  
Some time later Serpentine slithered back in and discovered Harry chatting with another boy. 'Hmm. It ssoundss interessting. I think I'll lissten.'  
"Harry would it be all right if I stayed with you for a few days?"  
"Why?"  
"Do you really want to know?"  
Harry sighed. "I'd like to know."  
"Fine. My dad kicked me out.  
"Why?"  
"I wouldn't join the deatheaters."  
"That's good."  
"Yeah. So good he kicked me out for it."  
"So what are you going to do for the rest of the summer?"  
"I have no idea."  
"How did you get here?"  
"He made a portkey and threw it at me."  
"Ah. That just might do it."  
"So is it okay for me to stay here for tonight?"  
"Yeah. I don't know how long I'm going to be here for, but you are welcome to stay here as long as I am here."  
"Thanks."  
Serpentine decided it was time that she made herself known.  
"Oh." Harry said, bending over to pick Serpentine up. "Did I mention that I've got a pet snake?"  
"NO." Draco said loudly, almost as if he was afraid of the snake.  
"Done be afraid of Serpentine. She's harmless. Not like a basilisk. Would you like to hold her?"  
"Harry, don't be mean to him. He can't help it if he'ss afraid of me."  
"Yess, Sserpentine, asss ussual you're right. Did you find anything good to eat?"  
"Yess I did. I found a mousse'ss nesst. It'ss quite empty now."  
"I'm glad you found ssufficient food ssource."  
"Its okay Draco. Serpentine says that since she thinks that you are afraid of her, she'd rather that you not hold her. Anyway, she just ate."  
"That's a reassuring fact."  
"Would you like something to eat?"  
"Sure."  
Harry and Draco ate a few sandwiches and read books until they were tired. Harry was nearly three quarters of the way done with the book he had started on the subject of Hogwarts teachers. He was fascinated by it and he could understand why Hermione liked these sort of books. Draco slept on the sofa and Harry resolved to ask Kevin about expanding the tent and giving it another bedroom.  
  
The next morning  
When Harry woke up, Draco was still asleep on the burgany colored couch that clahed with the orange armchair. Harry made eggs and bacon and ate about half. He put what was left on a plate and put it in the small refrigerator. Draco was still asleep when it was nearly time for him to leave. Harry left a note.   
Draco-  
I left some breakfast in the fridge for you. I have gone to work. I am working at the grocer's and will be home at five. Try owling your mum about getting your things.  
Harry  
  
Later that evening.  
"I'm going to go swimming in the stream and try to wash some of the dirt that's attached itself to me off." Harry said to Draco.  
"That's cool. Have fun." Draco shyly replied, as if he was afraid of getting hit for speaking.  
"Bye." Harry recognized the fear in Draco's eyes as he replied to Harry. He decided not to pursue the matter right then. He walked downstream quite a ways so his Draco wouldn't see his back. When Harry got to the pond that was formed by the beaver dam, he stopped. Harry stripped down to his boxers and the bandages on his back and waded in. "It's not as cold as I thought." He began to unwind the bandages on his back and sighed. It was still bleeding. Comparing it to the memory of the bandages from last night, he decided that it wasn't bleeding as much. Harry squeezed his eyes tight and flopped onto his back.  
  
"Ugh." Severus Snape said as he hit what had to have been the hundredth mosquito. "Why must the only type of pond-weed suitable for the potion that Lupin needs grow in a mosquito ridden area?" Severus stopped, suddenly aware of a splashing. A splashing that wasn't part of the stream. Severus slowly walked through the trees to the pond.  
It was none other than Potter swimming in the pond. What was Potter doing swimming in the pond when he was suppoused to be with the muggles? And why did Potter's back look like it had been whipped? Those questions would have to wait for later. Now he had to decide whether or not to make his presence known. And why did the marks on Potter's back infuriate him? He decided to make his presence known.  
"Hello Potter." Severus said quietly.  
Even with his ears partly underwater, Harry knew that voice. He tried to sit up in the water, but Harry quickly discovered that that didn't work. "Professor?"  
"Yes."  
"Hello. I suppose that you want to know what I am doing here?"  
"That would be correct."  
"Do you want the truth or the story that I am telling people."  
"I have never tolerated insolence Potter."  
Harry laughed weakly. "The truth then." After a slight pause, Harry asked if he could finish tending his back.  
"What happened to your back?"  
"My uncle whipped me with his belt."  
"Why?"  
"I called him uncle."  
"Explain further."  
"He decided that I shouldn't be allowed to call him uncle anymore; I wasn't worthy of being related to him. He came to the conclusion that I should call him sir."  
"You slipped and called him uncle?"  
"That would be correct." Harry answered through gritted teeth, making it plain that he didn't want to talk about the subject anymore.  
Snape didn't notice that, as he was dealing with the strong feeling of rage that had seared through his heart when Potter had told him what had happened to his back. The thought 'the muggles must pay' had flashed through his head and he was trying to deduce why the thought had occurred to him. Snape pushed the thoughts that the feeling evoked to the back of his mind as he began to gather the pond-weed.  
"Excuse me, sir, what are you going to use the pond-weed for?"  
"A potion."  
"I should have known." Harry muttered.  
"Of course, I am the potions master. What else would I be gathering plants for? Herbology?"  
"It would be a possibility."  
"Are you being pert with me?"  
"I believe I am, sir." Harry said with a grin.  
"Since term has not began, I will not take points off your house."  
"Thank you sir." Harry got out of the pond and started to wash his bandages. He saw that his jeans had dried sufficiently in the evening sun and went behind a tree and pulled on his jeans over a new pair of boxers. He wrapped the dirty pair in his towel and set the bundle on a rock.  
"Would you like help bandaging your back?"  
"Thank you sir, but I'm going to let the bandaging dry first."  
"Since you are going to do that, why don't you tell me why you are here?"  
Harry sighed. "Okay. You already know about the whipping, so after my aunt fixed my back for me. We drove to here and they had me unload the things from the car. Then they sent me for groceries and then they left. I think my aunt actually meant it when she said she was going to try being kind, as the tent was in my trunk along with fifty pounds."  
"How long ago was this?"  
"It's been nearly a week."  
"So you've been alone for a week?" Snape asked incredulously.  
"No. The first night the Weasley twins stayed with me. They enchanted the tent for me. And last night someone stayed with me."  
"Who?"  
"I'd rather not tell you. I don't know if he wants you to know that he is staying with me."  
"Draco Malfoy?"  
"What makes you say that?"  
"I happen to know that his father tried to initiate him into the Death Eaters and he refused. So Malfoy kicked him out."  
"More like threw a portkey at him that would send him to the Marauder's Woods."  
"So he is staying with you. Or at least he's seen you and trusted you enough to give him your story. Let me take a look at your back."  
"Why." Harry questioned. Instantly on his guard, as adults didn't really care about him that often.  
Snape recognized the look in the boy's eyes. Fear. He said gently, "You have no reason to fear me. I'm only going to look at it and if it needs fixing fix it or take you to someone who can fix it."  
Harry realized that Snape was trying to be kind. He decided to make and effort and try and do what he wanted, knowing that it would help his back get better. He didn't say anything, just walked over to the rock that Snape was sitting on and sat on the ground with his back to Snape.  
Severus gave a low whistle. "He really did a number on your back. I'm going to use magic to clean it because it looks like it is starting to get infected. This will hurt a little bit. Would you like me to go and get some pain dulling potions to help you?"  
Silently Harry nodded. "Why don't you show me where your tent is and you can go there and I'll meet you back there."  
"If you don't mind." Harry said in a small voice.  
"Okay then." Snape leaned over and picked up the bandaging. It was obviously of magical origin. Looks like Petunia remembered what little she learned in her short time at Hogwarts, he thought to himself.  
"Here we are. Do you want to go and see Draco now, or when you get back?"  
"When I get back." I'll have to owl Dumbledore to make Lupin's potion as it appears that I will be busy for the rest of the night. Snape thought as he vanished from the clearing that was the result of one of the Marauders spells gone wrong with a slight pop.  
  
A/N: Wow. This went on WAY longer that I expected. I hope you enjoy. Next chapter not for awhile as I have a large pile of books to read.   
A/N: me again. i'm sorry that this took so long for me to get up. I have a younger sister who has managed to be on the internet every time i come downstairs to work on my story, so consquentially (i can't spell) this has been slowish in getting added on. Sorry.


	5. Talking With Dumbledore

Severus Snape woke up from a dream. His eyes opened up to his dimly lit room. His eyes traveled around his bedchambers. There was the mahogany wardrobe, next to it, the vanity that had been his mothers. He chuckled quietly. "Don't know why I even keep that. I never use it when I'm here." Technically he did use it, but only as a table to pile his things on. Currently there was a medium sized pile of parchment on it. Next to that was a slightly larger pile. They were exams and he had to finish grading them before— his eyes traveled to the calendar. The ninth. It was the seventh. "Ugh. I've got to finish those. If Potter hadn't have showed up, I would have been able to finish at least half of those." He conveniently forgot that his evening would have been taken up brewing the potion for Lupin.  
He glared at the candles near the edge of the table and muttered _lumen_. Dumbledore had been right, the light spell was able to be used on candles and such. On the positive side, once you've used it on the object, it seemed to retain the idea, and all it needed was the trigger word. _Munditia come here_, he thought. With a small pop his house elf appeared in the center of his room.  
"Is master able to sleep all right? 'Tis three in the morning." Munditia looked up at him worriedly.  
"Yes, I am fine. I had a nightmare and it woke me up. Then I realized that I had to finished grading the exams. Would you be able to bring me a mug of hot chocolate?"  
"Yes master. I'll have it right to you." With another pop, Munditia vanished. Severus crossed the room and sat at the table. (A/N: for future reference I am going to call the vanity a table.) He looked at his reflection. Hair is still greasy. He sighed and picked up the first exam. "Granger's, why don't I just save myself the trouble and give her an Outstanding? Well she might have made a mistake..." He smiled at the prospect of finding a mistake on Granger's exam.  
By the time Munditia came up with the hot chocolate, Severus had just finished scrawling an Outstanding on the Granger's exam. "Master, here is your hot chocolate."  
"You may go now." Severus reached for the mug and took a sip of the warm drink. He could feel the chocolate making him calm. He couldn't remember much of the dream now, but he could still recall a dark cupboard, a burning along his forehead and a woman screaming. He set the mug back on the tray and smiled a small smile when he noticed what the cup said. He reached for the next exam. Potter's. He toyed with the idea of just giving him a 'T' for Troll. He thought then that he would be fair. After all he had given his word to Minerva that he would grade fairly. After grading Potter's exam he blinked and shook his head. He graded it again. How did he manage to get an 'O'? It then occurred that he did spend a lot of time breathing down Potter's back and if he was grading him like he graded the Slytherins he would be getting an 'O'. He sighed, realizing that he didn't treat the Gryffindors very nicely. He would have to work on that after the Dark Lord's demise.  
Putting Potter's exam on top of the growing pile of graded ones, he reached for the next one. Resolving to grade them fairly from now on, he shuddered looking at the next exam. This continued until morning, when Munditia replaced the tray with the now cold hot chocolate, with a tray with breakfast on it. Severus rubbed his eyes and began to eat his breakfast. There were only ten or so exams left. He decided to shower before finishing them and taking them to Dumbledore.  
  
He put the exams into a muggle briefcase and apparated into Hogsmeade. He popped into Zonko's and bought something for Dumbledore as he was going to have a conversation that might not put the elderly wizard in the best mood. Zonko's had added a new section that was a small sign above it: Muggle Sweets. He smiled, remembering how the headmaster like lemon drops. 'Now if the only have them.' They did. Severus paid a Galleon for a pound of lemon drops. He began the walk up to the castle.  
He found Dumbledore in the entrance eyeing the banister of the staircase in a most interesting way. Severus cleared his throat. "Hello Albus."  
"Hello Severus. You have got your exams graded I presume?"  
"Yes. I've brought them."  
"You're a day early."  
"I know. I wanted to have a conversation with you."  
"Okay. Would you like to go up to my office?"  
"That would be fine. May I inquire what were you doing when I came here?"  
The older wizard laughed. "I was attempting to find the best angle to sit on the banister that would allow you gather the most speed using it as a direct mode of transportation."  
"Sir?" Severus asked, a bit befuddled by the wizards phrasing.  
"I was trying to find the fastest way to slide down the banister."  
Severus chuckled. "I suppose the banisters are just perfect for sliding."  
"That they are. You almost never smile or laugh during the year. Why?"  
Severus stiffened at the question. "The students bother me. Mainly because I must act as if I only like the Slytherins."  
"You find that there are other students in houses other than Slytherin that you like."  
"Yes. That will be one thing I will like after Lord Voldemort's demise, is that I will be able to treat students fairly."  
"I am glad that you feel that way." They had reached the gargoyle. Dumbledore gave the password. (Ton-Tongue Toffee) They proceeded to go up the staircase. Dumbledore gestured to an old looking chair that was covered in red velvet. He poured tea into a cup. At Severus' nod he poured tea into a second cup patterned with what looked like a turtle's shell. Dumbledore sat down at his desk and waited for Severus to begin.  
"I suppose that you are wondering why I asked you to make Lupin's potion."  
"Yes I was a bit curious about that. I suppose that you are going to tell me why?"  
"Yes. When I was in the Marauders Wood I found Harry Potter bathing in the pond in which the weed necessary for the potion is found. He was floating on his back relaxing. When I greeted him he sat up, or tried, as he discovered that it is rather hard to sit up in water. When he got out I saw his back." Severus went quiet, not sure how to tell Dumbledore the next part.  
Dumbledore, seeing the Severus was at a loss for words, gave him a few moments to get his thoughts in order. "Please continue Severus."  
"His uncle had whipped him with his belt. His back was a partially healed mass of bloody flesh. It was starting to become infected. That wasn't just it. They had abandoned him. He was left with a tent and his school things. He told me that he wasn't alone."  
"Who is with him then?"  
"He has a snake, and currently Draco Malfoy is residing with him. Fred and George Weasley had come upon him the first night and enchanted his tent."  
"He and Draco?"  
"Yes, and amazingly they are getting along."  
"I wonder what brought that change upon him?" Dumbledore thought aloud, knowing the Severus probably knew why.  
"His father brought him to be initiated. He refused the dark mark and his father kicked him out by throwing a portkey at him that took him to the Marauders Woods. He happened upon Harry and Harry hearing his story let Draco stay with him."  
"I think that we should bring Harry and Draco here."  
"No." Severus said, surprising himself.  
"Why?"  
"I'm not sure. I believe it is because Harry has a job and is quite sufficient at supporting himself. He confided in me that he was thinking of building a home for himself in the woods as he finds it quite a nice place to live. The friendship he is building with Draco is also important. If we brought them to the castle, it would separate them and make any relationship that is forming dissipate."  
"Excellent defense Severus. I think that I will pay them a visit soon just to see how they are doing. Is that all that you wanted to tell me?"  
"No. When I saw the boy's back it just infuriated me. It was a sort of rage I have never experienced before." Snape looked at Dumbledore with eyes filled with worry.  
"Nothing is wrong with you. I will go and get something that will help explain things to you." Dumbledore smiled reassuringly, it was the type of smile that you gave a three year old when you were telling them that there weren't any monster's under their bed. Dumbledore left his office and went to his private chambers. He glanced around the portraits. One of an old woman knitting had stopped knitting and was gazing at him warily. "Yes?"  
"Oh. Nothing." The old woman resumed knitting. She was muttering something about how people didn't know how to keep their noses out of other people's business. He smiled, knowing that the old witch was right. A few minutes later Dumbledore came back with an envelope in his hand.  
He held out the envelope to Severus. "It's from Lily, I'll leave you the privacy of my office to read it. I'm sorry it took so long to find, over the years I've acquired quite a few letters to be delivered at certain times."  
"Oh." Severus replied staring at the letter that was now in his hand. The edges were yellowed, so it must have been in Dumbledore's possession for a while. His mind was reeling at the possibilities of what the letter could contain. The sound of the door closing caught his attention. "Might as well read it now." He opened the letter.  
  
Severus-   
I suppose that it's been awhile since you've heard from me. Especially since I am dead. I'm in the land of the living now, as I am writing this, but if I die you will get this eventually. I have instructed Dumbledore to give you this just before my son turns sixteen. There is something about him that you should know. He isn't James' son. He is yours.   
Do you recall the week that I spent at your manor just before my wedding? Harry was conceived that last night that I was there. I know that he resembles James closely. What looks like James in him is actually what looks like you. I have put a charm on him that makes him look like James, as a son that resembles you will be a bit of trouble, as you are a Death Eater turned traitor to Voldemort. On his sixteenth birthday the spell will begin to fade. The visible sign of the spell is a faint scar in the shape of a lightning bolt on his forehead. It also acts as a sign whether or not any curses have put on Harry. If his scar becomes more visible that means someone has cursed him. By the time Harry reaches seventeen he will look like how he was meant to look.  
James knows. He is okay with it and he hopes that you and Harry will e okay with each other. He asks that you treat Harry kindly and don't hold is memory against Harry. I hope that I haven't given you too much of a shock.  
Lily  
  
Severus just sat there stunned for a few minutes dealing with the idea of him being a father over in his head. The witch who was knitting had stopped knitting again. She stood and hobbled over to the next portrait, nearly tripping over her long dark green robes in the process. "Mr. Nigellus, do you think that he is a bit more pale than usual?"  
"Yes, he does appear a bit pale. Do you think that we should call Dumbledore back in?"  
"I believe so," replied the witch.  
"On three?" The witch nodded, causing more of her gray hair to fall out of her loose bun. Phineas counted to three and on three they called, "Dumbledore!"  
"He's coming. Ma'am, may I escort you back to your portrait?"  
The witch looked surprised. "Why, yes, of course."  
Dumbledore entered his office and glanced over his portraits, he smiled when he saw Phineas escorting Madam (A/N: I couldn't come up with a good name) back to her portrait. When they saw that they had the headmaster's attention, they gestured towards Severus. Severus was looking as if he had been stunned. "The letter carried interesting news?"   
Severus shook his head as if to clear it. "You said something? Sorry I was thinking."   
"The letter carried interesting news?"   
"I suppose. Why don't you read it." Severus looked down to see that he still clutched the letter in his hand.   
"Okay. You seem a bit pale, would you like a bit of chocolate?"   
"Yes that would be fine." Dumbledore opened up a drawer in his desk and pulled out a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. "It's a muggle candy. I find them quite tasty." He said as an explanation, he then set the candy on his desk and got the letter from Severus. Severus picked up the candy and looked at it skeptically. He shrugged and unwrapped it. To his surprise it actually tasted okay. Dumbledore set the letter down on the desk.   
"You're going to have to tell Harry sometime." Dumbledore said matter-of- factly.   
"Sometime soon according to the letter."  
"Would you like me to do it for you?"   
"Would you?"   
"I would, but it would be better for you to do it."   
"Good point." Severus acknowledged weakly.  
"When will you do it?"   
Severus just sat there glumly, contemplating how he would tell Harry that his least favorite teacher was actually his father. "I don't know. I'll have to do it soonish. I think maybe the day after tomorrow?"   
"That sounds good. Would you like to join me for lunch?"  
"I'd rather not. I just want to go home and think."   
"That's sounds good. Why don't you go by floo?"   
"That sounds good. Oh. I nearly forgot." Severus reached into his robes and pulled out the bag of lemon drops. "Zonko's added a muggle sweet's section."   
"Thank you for the lemon drops. I hope you realize that you just saved me a trip to the muggle stores."   
"You're welcome." Severus said as he stepped into the fireplace and said "Snape Manor."   
He stepped out into the main hall at his home. Munditia was dusting the portrait frames and chatting with his ancestors. He smiled faintly.   
"Master." The elf curtsied. "Will you require lunch?"   
"No. I believe that I will go up to my rooms and have a nap."   
"Is anything wrong master?"   
"Yes. You will find out soon enough. Past events have resurfaced with a price that demands paying."   
"Oh. Master will get things sorted out then." "I'm please that you have such faith in me. I do so hope that things will be sorted out." Severus left the elf to her dusting and walked up to his rooms. He climbed into his bed with all his clothes on and hugged his pillow and cried.

A/N: It's summer break and I'm up at seven thirty. In the morning. Wow. I finished editing this chapter. I hope you guys enjoy! Sorry it's been a while, I still have a large pile of library books due soonish. I'll read fast for you guys though.


	6. Illegal Camping?

Harry woke late on Sunday. He had been given Sundays off. He didn't know what to do with it. Harry thought about maybe going and visiting the Weasleys. He didn't know where they lived in relation to Godric's Hollow. Owling Ron and asking him would ruin a surprise visit from him. He knew that they lived near Ottery St. Catchpole, but not being too keen on muggle geography, he had know idea where that was. Seeing that it was ten in the morning and the library didn't open until twelve-thirty on Sundays, he had two hours before he had to leave. He could always go and ask Kevin, but he didn't really want to go anywhere just yet. Harry crossed the room to the bookshelf and skimmed the titles. A particular book caught his eye. _Magical Decorating for Dummies_, 'sounds interesting' he thought. He pulled the book off of the shelf and looked over the table of contents. The first chapter was entitled Finding or Building Yourself a House. Harry grinned, thinking that the tent was going to be moved a bit, as he had already found the perfect place to build. If he could find out who the land belonged to.  
  
"Hey Draco, how'd you like to build a house?" Harry asked loudly, to be heard through Draco's closed door.  
The door creaked loudly as it opened. "A house?" Draco asked bleary eyed, his blonde hair a mess from sleeping.  
"You know—a place to live in. Permanently."  
Draco woke up a bit. "Where?"  
Harry grinned. "Here." Draco raised his eyebrows and ran his fingers through his hair. It was shoulder length when it wasn't slicked back. "How are we going to build this house?"  
Harry looked up from the book. "I'm not sure on that part yet." Harry paused, "I'm going to build me a house so I will have a place to stay. I never want to be caught without a home." The dark haired boy finished fiercely.  
Draco would have laughed, but he knew exactly what the other boy was feeling, it was the same thing he had been feeling a few days ago when his father had kicked him out. "I know what you mean. I don't think I've told you this before, but thank you for giving me a home when I needed it the most."  
"No problem, I would have gotten pretty bored here all by myself. Here," Harry said holding out the book to Draco, "Why don't you look at this. It says how you would go about building a house by magic. The only problem is that it takes ten people."  
Draco glanced down at the place Harry had lit up with his wand. The words were glowing a sort gold. Draco read the next part and highlighted it with his wand. He passed the book back to Harry. "Look at the part I highlighted."  
Harry did so and nodded. "Twelve people is recommended." He read aloud. "Where are we going to find twelve other people."  
Draco laughed. "Ten, as there are two of us."  
Harry's smile brightened, now they only had to find ten people! "I suppose that we could ask Kevin and Cat to help."  
Draco made a grunt that was interpreted as 'Who?' "The grocer and his wife. They knew my parents, so I suppose they would be willing to help."  
"Yeah, Severus might be able to help." Harry looked at Draco like he had gone crazy. Then he remembered how Snape had acted when he had found out about Harry's back. Harry never thought that Snape could be nice to someone who wasn't in his house, and a Gryffindor at that. (A/N: Snape got really angry because as a child he was abused. I never mentioned that because the plot bunnies only just told me now.) Harry could tell that he was really angry too. He hadn't know why Snape had gotten so angry, put he didn't want to find out, as it would be sure to make Snape irritable for a few days.  
"Are you sure about that? He might try to make us go back to our homes."  
"No way in hell am I going back to that—that house." Draco spit the last word out bitterly. "I'm not even sending mail to there."  
Harry furrowed his brow in thought. "Then how are you going to get your things back?"  
Draco opened his mouth to answer the question, but was interrupted by someone knocking on his front door. Harry motioned for Draco to go to his room in case it was one of the Weasleys. Harry opened the door and was met by a parks officer. He had a quite distinguished brown mustache that was lined with bits of silver.  
"'Scuse me sir, don't you know that it illegal to camp on private property?"  
Harry was quite worried. This is going to be a definite impediment to our building plans. "Erm... No sir. Had absolutely no idea."  
"I'm sorry but you are still going to have to pay a fine."  
Harry paled. "Fine?"  
"Yes. Only £300."  
Harry's face got even paler. The officer seeing this, smiled inwardly. 'The boy probably didn't even have £2 to his own name.' "I've already got the from all written out, all it needs is your name."  
Harry sighed. "Harry Potter."  
At hearing his last name the officer appeared disappointed. "Potter?"  
"Yes."  
"Would you be the son of a certain James Potter?"  
"Yes, my father's name was James."  
The officer appeared quite disappointed. "Then it's quite okay for you to be camping out here. After all, you have part ownership of the wood."  
"I do?"  
"Yes. These woods were bought from the queen by a R. Lupin, P. Pettigrew, S. Black, and a J. Potter some time ago. Because P. Pettigrew, J. Potter, and S. Black died, you own three fourths of the wood."  
"How?"  
"J. Potter left his section to his son, S. Black left it to his god- son, P. Pettigrew had no heir. To my belief, neither does R. Lupin. On his demise you get his section, unless he appoints a heir other than you."  
"Oh." Harry stood there for a moment contemplating it.  
The officer bid him good day and left, trudging through the woods with a slump to his shoulders indicating he was disappointed. Harry went and sat on the couch for a moment. His thoughts were interrupted by Draco coming out, holding an Extendable Ear.  
"So the wood is yours then?"  
"Not completely. A certain werewolf friend of mine owns a quarter of it. Technically P. Pettigrew isn't dead, so I only own half of it. Why don't we think about building for the next week and we figure out ten people to help us with this. I think that we could start building next Sunday"  
"Okay then." Draco said absent mindedly, reading the first chapter of the book.  
Harry glanced at the clock and decided that he had time to finish the book on Hogwarts professors before he had to leave to go to the library.  
  
A/N: I'm sorry it was a short chapter! I'll try to make the visit with the Weasleys extra long to make up for it. Gasp! Did I just reveal what the next chapter is about? I did! I am finally going to take the time to answer my lovely reviewers.  
  
**LuthienGranger2004**: I'm glad you think that it's interesting. Did you ever read the chapters after one? I'm sure that you will find those interesting also.  
  
**Cali Vianya**: I kept writing, would you keep reviewing?  
  
**KittenRebecca**: Thanks for the web sites. I was going by the amounts on Fantastic Beasts and may have miscalculated. I'm going to check the amounts in the books with the sites just in case something is wrong.  
  
**Kay**: Thanks for pointing out my error. I haven't had a chance to fix it as the floppy disc that I save my stories on has gone missing. My dad has a tendency to go through the computer and delete all files that haven't been touched in a few days. I learned to password protect my things and make use of floppy discs.  
  
**Lady Lily3**: Thank you for reviewing. Your reviews make up about half of my total reviews for this story. I think that Severus will tell Harry the truth when he comes and checks up on him with Dumbledore the next Sunday. Which will be quite interesting as there will be a crowd there. I think in erm...two or three chapters Harry will find out about his parentage. IF things go according to the plan that I've got in my head, but that changes a lot when I can't get to sleep. 


	7. Writing A Letter

"It's a good seven mile walk from here." Kevin added as Harry started to leave his shop after getting directions to the village that Ron lived near. "Perhaps you'd like to borrow a bicycle."  
"Would you let me?" Harry asked, with a tone of disbelief in his voice.  
"Of course I would. I trust you."  
Harry grinned, pleased that someone trusted him. "Thanks. How long do you think that it would take to get there?"  
"On a bicycle?" Kevin asked. Harry nodded in response. "I'd say half an hour."  
"Thanks."  
"Harry?"  
"Yes?"  
"Have fun visiting. Would you like a bottle of water to take along? It gets pretty hot these days."  
Harry thought for a moment and replied, "Yes. Thank's very kind of you. I think that I'll stay at the Weasley's until ten. Unless they kick me out before then."  
"That's good. Does Draco know where you're going?"  
Harry had told Kevin about Draco because he thought it would be important for someone to know about his presence in the woods. "He doesn't. I didn't tell him because I didn't know how far Ottery St. Catchpole is from here."  
"Are you going to go and tell him?"  
"Of course! He should know where I went in case something happens to me and I come home late."  
Kevin smiled and thought at least Harry has some sense of responsibility. "That's good."  
"I'd better go and tell Draco then, I want to be able to spend plenty of time at the Weasley's."  
"Come on then, lets go 'round back and get the bicycle."  
Harry nodded a response and followed Kevin out to the back of the shop.  
"Harry, it used to be my daughter's bike, so it has a basket on the front. I hope you don't mind."  
"No not at all. I could enchant the basket and put my broom in it, 'cause we almost always play quidditch when I'm over there."  
"That's a good idea. Why didn't I think of that a long time ago?"  
Harry grinned and said "It might have something to do with the fact the that young accept change more readily than the old."  
"It just might." Kevin said slowly, processing the idea.  
"Kevin? I recently found out that I own most of the woods, and me and Draco were thinking of building a house to live in. I found a spell that will build it magically, but it is a group spell. Would you and cat like to help?"  
"Is the book called Magical Decorating For Dummies?"  
"Yes. How'd you know?" "Same book me and Cat used to build our shop. In fact, I believe that Hogwarts was built using the same type of spell, just using more people."   
"Really?"   
"Yes."   
"Wow." Harry thought that he'd have to tell Hermione that. Of course she probably already knew that.   
"Is that mentioned in Hogwarts: A History?"   
"I don't think it is." Maybe Hermione didn't know then.   
"I'd better get going."   
"Yeah you should. It was nice talking though."   
"It was." Harry agreed and began to ride the bicycle to his tent.  
  
Draco sighed as he watched Harry leave to go to Ron's house. It would be nice to have friends he thought wistfully. Maybe I could owl someone, he thought excitedly. But who? There were potter's friends, but they all despised him. Well Harry didn't despise me once he gave me a chance. Draco decided to owl Granger. Especially as she was more open minded than Ron.   
Draco moved over to the small writing desk in the corner of the sitting room. Now what shall I write, the blonde haired boy mused. Reaching for a sheet of parchment. I'll start out with Hello. Draco spent the next half hour or so writing the letter. Twice he started over. By the third time he had finally gotten it right. He read the letter over.

Hello-  
I'd like to make amends for how I've treated you for the past five years. My father tried to initiate me into the Death Eaters and I refused. I realized what it must be like to torture a person. Hermione, you don't mind if I call you Hermione do you? To become a Death Eater, you must prove your self by torturing a muggle. I was going to go through with it, but watching the others do it, I realized that I couldn't. I told my father and it looked like he was going to kill me right then and there. I was so scared that I passed out. When I came to I was in my father's study. He and my mother were arguing about what to do with me. He wanted to kick me out, and my mother wanted to keep me at home. My father won, he always wins when they fight. At least this time he didn't resort to physical force. He kicked me out and I met up with Harry.  
Harry and I have become friends. I'd like it if we could become friends also. I am sorry for how I treated you. I have seen the error of my ways, would you be able to forgive me? Harry has spoken of you, how you are such a good friend. I don't have anything to offer you in return, except for friendship. I don't even have a home. The person who I am staying with is letting me stay with him only out of the goodness of his heart.  
-Draco   
A/N: He didn't tell Harry this at first, but he told Harry a few days ago, I couldn't get it to fit with the plot.  
  
Draco smiled. I hope she believes it. It is after all, the truth. I wonder if Harry will mind if borrow his owl as mine is out delivering a message to my neighbor to give to my mother. I don't think that he will mind. After all, it's only one letter. He did use my owl when his was out sending a letter to Ron. He shouldn't mind.  
Draco got up and went out to find Harry's owl. He whistled a particular tune and Hedwig came swooping out of a tree. "Hello. Could you take this to Hermione for me?" The owl stuck out her foot and Draco tied the letter to her leg. "Thanks." Draco said to the owl as she flew off in the same direction that Harry had gone.   
A/N: Now I could stop here. It does seem like a good stopping point doesn't it? I did say that this would be a longer chapter than the last one. See this is such a good stopping point. I mean it isn't a cliffy. The paragraph has a good ending to it. I'll be nice and continue.  
  
Harry was panting by the time he got to the Burrow. He looked at the Weasley's home and smiled. He was glad to be there. He looked around and didn't see anyone outside. He hoped that they were home. It hadn't occurred to him that they might not be home. Out of the nine Weasleys someone should be home. That thought brightened his disposition. Harry went up and knocked on the door.   
"Ginny could you go and get that? I'm up to my elbows in soapsuds." Harry heard from the other side of the door.   
"Yes, mom. Who do you think it is?"   
"I have no idea. Why don't you go and see?"   
"I'm going!" Then Harry heard someone, probably Ginny walking towards the door. The door opened and suddenly Harry heard a shriek and was being hugged very tightly.   
"Hello, Ginny. I take it you're happy to see me?" Ginny let go.   
"Yes."   
"Ginny is it Harry who's here?" Molly asked and Harry could hear her washing the dishes faster. She had learned to never assume when it came to her children.   
"Yes. Mom." Ginny said, dragging Harry in to the kitchen. Harry grinned when he saw Molly Weasley.   
"Hi." He was immediately smothered in another hug. "Harry, what are you doing here?" She asked as she let Harry go. "You didn't run away from the muggles? Then I'd be required to haul you to the Order and someone would take you back."   
"No I didn't run. They went camping in Godric's Hollow."   
"So you thought that you'd stop by?"   
"You're right." Mrs. Weasley smiled. "Good then. Do you have to be back by a certain time?"   
"Yeah. I've got to be back by eleven, 'cause it gets dark around then. So is it okay for me to stay until ten?"   
"Of course. Ron's in his room. Why don't you go up and surprise him?"   
"Okay. Is Hermione here?"   
"Yes in fact, her parents are at a seminar for dentists for the week and she just got here. I think she's in Ginny's room getting settled. Ron doesn't know that she's here yet. So why don't you go and tell Hermione first?"   
"That sounds good." Harry grinned and set to sneaking up the stairs. When he reached the floor that Ginny's room was on he silently opened the door. Hermione was sitting on the spare bed with her back to the door. Harry smiled and snuck up on her until he was about a foot away from the lavender bed and jumped on it. Hermione's shriek was most pleasing. For the third time that day Harry got smothered in a hug.   
"Harry! What are you doing here?"   
"I thought that I'd drop by as I am camping in Godric's Hollow."   
"Godric's Hollow? Isn't that where your..." Hermione's voice died down, not finishing the sentence.   
"Where my parents got done in by Lord Voldemort?"   
Hermione, unable to answer, nodded.   
"Yeah. It's really fun though. I got a job and the woods are the best place to live and we're going to build a house there." Harry said quickly trying to cheer Hermione up as she seemed sort of down. "I really like it." he finished lamely.   
"Oh Harry. I just realized how it must feel for you, not having parent's and all."  
"It's okay. Don't be sad. I've lived without them for nearly fifteen years. (A/N: I'm not sure how old he was when Voldemort did his parent's in. For this story he was one.) It's not that bad."   
"Okay then. Does Ron know that you are here?"   
"Nope." Harry said happily, envisioning how high he could make Ron jump.   
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Hermoine asked.   
"If you're thinking of sneaking up on Ron, then yes I am thinking what you are Hermione."   
"Well let's go and sneak up on him then!" Harry then grinned evilly.   
That grin resembled a certain potion master's smirk so much that it made Hermione stop. She also noticed that Harry seemed a bit paler and taller.  
"What is it Hermione?" Harry asked, noticing that she had stopped.   
"Oh. It's nothing." Hermione replied, telling herself that she would think about it later and the we're going to build a house part. Then they went upstairs and snuck up on Ron. After that they went outside with Ginny to teach Hermione how to play quidditch.

Sorry the endings a bit rushed. I'm sorry that this one is short too. I've had writer's block and there was more, but it wasn't that good, so I took it off. The next chapter is going to have Draco's owl in it, and Harry telling Hermione and Ron about living with Draco. I'm not sure how mad Ron is going to get. Any idea's how mad he should get? Please review, I like knowing what you guys think!


	8. More Friends

Hermione smiled as she tried a dive. The feeling was _wonderful_. About ten feet from the Weasley's lawn, she pulled out of the dive. "Harry! That was fun!"  
Ron grinned at Harry. "I told you it would be a good idea to teach Hermione how to fly."  
Ginny flew over to where Ron and Harry were. "Did I just hear you say it was your idea to teach Hermione to fly?"  
Ron visibly winced. "No. It was never my idea. The thought never even crossed my mind." Ginny glared at him and turned and began to fly away.  
Harry grinned. He wondered what Ginny would do to Ron for revenge. "Oh Ginny!" He called at her retreating back. "I believe he did say it was his idea."  
"Really Harry." She replied menacingly.  
"Yep."  
"Harry! Even though she's my sister, she will get revenge for that. Why did you tell her?" Ron bemoaned, with his face turned up at the sky, as if he was hoping to find an answer there.  
"Because," Ginny began, "he's my friend."  
"Yeah, but he's my friend first!"  
"So?" Ginny said and flew over to Hermione. "C'mon Hermione, let's go in and help mum with dinner!"  
"That's sounds good. Is it okay if I fly around for a bit?"  
"Sure. Do you mind if I come with you? I wouldn't mind a chance to get away from these _boys_." She said the word as if it was a disease.  
"Let's go then. I know a handy invisibility charm. How does being invisible sound to you?"  
"Hermione!"  
"Yes?" She answered sweetly.  
"What would you need an invisibility charm for?"  
Hermione blushed and looked at the sky. "Nothing."  
"Mmm hmm. I believe you." Ginny replied with an unconvinced tone. Then she flew over to Hermione and held out her hand. Hermione tapped Ginny's hand with her wand and murmured "_fio pelluceo_" Ginny watched her arm as invisibility spread up it.  
Hermione then performed the spell upon herself. "Try and do it to your broom." Hermione watched in satisfied invisibility as Ginny's broom became invisible. Then Hermione took her wand out and put the tip on the bridge of her nose and murmured "_oculi quid pelluceo_" She could now see Ginny.  
Ginny couldn't see Hermione, so she asked, "Hermione where are you?"  
"I'm over here, but don't move." Hermione flew over to Ginny and performed the same spell on Ginny. Now you can see what is invisible."  
"Nice. I'll have to remember those spells for late night trips to the kitchens at Hogwarts." Ginny smiled.  
"Where do you want to go?"  
"Why don't we go and see where Harry is camping. Maybe scare the muggles a bit."  
"Ginny!"  
"Yes?" Ginny answered, managing to sound innocent.  
Hermione laughed. "It sounds like fun. Only, we have to stay invisible."  
Ginny sighed. "I suppose I can do that."  
"Especially as you don't know the spell to take it off."  
"Good point."  
"Let's go and find the Dursleys!"  
With that last statement Ginny and Hermione flew off towards Godric's Hollow.  
  
Draco had wandered around the small tent and when he couldn't find anything to do, he decided to go for a walk. He thought about how Harry and the grocer had become friends and decided to go and try to make a friend. Draco went into his room and got a fresh pair of robes out of his trunk that his neighbor had gotten for him though his mother. Draco took a look around the tent and thought that the Weasley twins had done a good job enchanting the tent.  
He decided to just take a few galleons with him and see if he could buy anything good in the village. Draco walked slowly through that woods enjoying the scenery. Stopping every once in a while to look at a poppy in a small meadow that he found, or to admire a particular rock in the brook that he was walking by, it took Draco about an hour to get to the village. He spent the next minutes ambling through the village in search of the Grocers. He found it next to a small café. For some reason Draco was nervous about entering the small shop. It's now or never, he thought resolutely. He squared his shoulders and walked inside.  
"Hello." Draco said to the old man behind the counter. He looked somewhat like Santa Clause. He had a nicely trimmed beard, and thinning white hair that was trimmed very short.  
"Hello. Would you be Draco Malfoy?" the man asked, his twinkling blue eyes staring directly into Draco's own.  
Any thought that Draco had of denying his identity left Draco's mind immediately. "Yes. That would be me."  
"Nice to meet you. Harry's told me about you. Says that he thinks that you'd make it on the side for good."  
"Oh." Outside Draco seemed quiet and calm, but inside his mind was reeling. Harry said that? About me? He's not ashamed to be friends with me. "He's told you about me then?" A feeling like happiness bubbled up inside of him.  
"Yes. As a precaution, if something happens to him while he's here, someone has got to tell you." The old man stated matter-of-factly. "The name's Kevin by the way."  
Draco smiled. "It's nice to meet you Kevin." Kevin held out his hand and Draco shook it. "I don't know if you know it or not, but I don't have very many friends. Not real friends. I've a group of followers, but they aren't friends. They're just people who want to get in good with me, 'cause they think that I'll be in charge of them."  
"Are you saying that you'd like to be friends?"  
Draco grinned. "Yes, I'd like that. Harry and I have became friends, and I realized that friends are nice thing to have."  
"That they are. Now, Harry told me that you and him were thinking of building a house. Is that right?"  
"Yes."  
"Well, it's a very complicated spell and it requires ten people. Cat, that's my wife, and I have decided to lend a hand. Now you really only need six more people. Do you have any ideas as to who else you might ask?"  
"Harry is at the Weasley's. He was going to ask Ron and Hermione to help."  
"Now you need only four more."  
"Harry said that he might be able to get Ginny, Fred and George to help."  
"Now you only need one more."  
"I don't really know anyone else."  
"There's my friend Algie's great nephew."  
"Do you think that he would help?"  
"Yes. I'm sure, especially since he has really improved his skills this past year,"  
"Who is he?"  
"Neville Longbottom."  
"I don't know if he'd like to help me that much."  
"If he doesn't want to help you, we can make it seem as if he is helping Harry. Would he be willing to help Harry?"  
"Yeah. He and Harry are really good friends."  
"Well now you've got your ten people. Now all you have to do is convince them to help."  
"Kevin?" Kevin looked up from the accounting.  
"Yes, Draco."  
"Would you mind asking for Neville's help? I'd feel silly doing it, especially as I don't know him very well. "  
"Of course. What are you going to be doing for the rest of the day?"  
"I thought that I'd explore the village for a little while."  
"That sounds fun. Do you have any money?"  
"I've got a few galleons. Could you exchange them for muggle money?"  
"Sure."  
Draco handed the grocer three galleons and Draco got some muggle money back. Draco smiled his thanks and left.  
"Hey Draco!"  
He turned and asked Kevin what he wanted.  
"I thought that I'd tell you that the ice cream at the café next door is really good."  
"Thanks, I'll go over there and try something.."  
Draco went next door and ordered a small coffee with a vanilla ice cream. After a few bite he smiled and thought that Kevin was right. The ice cream next door was very good.  
  
Hermione swooped down into a clearing with a tent in it. Hmm, that's odd, wouldn't there be more than one tent? Dudley for sure would take up a whole tent to himself. Hermione relayed this thought to Ginny who laughed and then agreed.  
"We should check it out."  
"Most definitely."  
Ginny and Hermione landed and leaned their broomsticks up against a large oak tree. They cautiously snuck forward and Ginny stuck her head in the tent. She laughed and said, "come on in Hermione, it's safe."  
Hermione followed Ginny in and said how do you know that it's safe?"  
"Have you ever been in the back room of Fred and George's shop?"  
Hermione shook her head no.  
"Well it's enchanted, and it looks exactly like this. They created a spell for it. In that spell are like a hundred protection spells."  
"Why?"  
"To keep people they don't want there away."  
"Oh. And they enchanted this tent for Harry?"  
"Must have. I can feel the protection spells. Can you?"  
Hermione closed her eyes for a moment and opened them really quickly. "Wow."  
"Yeah. I have a copy of everyone of those spells, they borrowed them from me."  
"Why'd you have them?"  
"Fred and George I've in the same house as I do. I don't want to wake up with an extra head or something." Ginny paused. "They put a swamp in Harry's room a while ago."  
"You can feel that?"  
"Yeah. I'm good at sensing magic. If it's been done around me before, I can usually find remnants of it that it left behind."  
"Can you tell what happened with it?"  
"Sure just let me.." Ginny's voice trailed off as she went into a trance. After a few moments she opened her eyes and burst out laughing. "They sent it to Dudley's room!" She exclaimed, laughing hysterically.  
Hermione laughed along with Ginny. "I wonder what happened to the Dursleys" she asked Ginny.  
"I have no idea. Why don't we go back?"  
"Yeah, Ginny I don't want to get caught here. I'm going to leave Harry a note so he knows that we stopped by."  
"Okay then." Ginny replied absent mindedly, looking at a book entitled _Curses and Countercurses_.  
  
Hermione stopped at the desk looking down at the desk, seeing a note already there in the middle. She looked over the note it was addressed to Harry and very short. What interested he the most, was the signature.  
  
Harry-  
I've gone to the village to see Kevin and ask him about the house thing. Did you ask Hermione and Ron about the house thing? I think that we should make a loft, so there is storage, and if we can get the roof high enough, we can make a bedroom up there. I hope that you had fun At Ron's house. I borrowed you owl to owl someone, I hope you don't mind.   
-Draco  
  
"I think I've just figured out who 'we' is."  
"What is it Hermione?" Ginny asked, looking up from the book that she was now reading.  
"It's just that Harry said something strange. At least I found it strange." Hermione replied, not really telling her anything.  
"That helps." Ginny said sarcastically.  
Hermione laughed. "He said that we're going to build a house."  
"And you were wondering who the other person is?" Ginny finished for her.  
"Yep. I just found out, you'll never guess who."  
"Okay then, since I'll never guess who, why don't you just tell me?"  
"Malfoy. I'm sure of it."  
"No way! Harry can barely be in the same castle as that git. No way would he be able to tolerate him."  
"Actually," said a voice from the doorway, "He can."  
The girls both turned to look at Draco Malfoy leaning against the entrance to the tent.  
"Hello." Hermione said, to fill the awkward silence that followed Draco's three word greeting.  
"Hello, Hermione. It's nice to see you. I believe that we got off on the wrong foot five years ago. Why don't we start over?" He held out his hand.  
Hermione stared at his outstretched hand for a moment and thought about it. He appears honest, but he is a Malfoy.  
Draco seeing Hermione's hesitation, I wrote you a letter. Things are sometimes easier to believe when you read them. I gave it to Harry's owl. Have you gotten it yet?"  
"No. Actually I haven't." or then this would probably make a bit more sense than it s now, Hermione finished in her head.  
"Yes. I suppose you haven't gotten it yet." Draco closed his eyes and snapped his fingers. There was a small pop of displaced air, and Hedwig appeared on the low coffee table. Her talons added to the many scratches on the table. The owl looked around the room, and seeing Hermione, she flew over to her and dropped the letter by her feet. Then the owl left the premises to go and wait the rest of the day out in a tree.  
Hermione bent and picked it up. "Where'd you learn the spell?"  
"It's a little something my father taught me." The veil on Draco's words barely concealed his anger.  
"Would you be able to teach me?" Hermione asked eagerly, at the prospect of learning such a convenient spell.  
"I'd have to go in your mind, 'cause you learn it if someone summons something when they are in your mind, or you are in your mind. It's similar to an accio, but it has many differences."  
"Well maybe later."  
"You don't trust me completely. Do you?"  
"Well to be frank, no."  
"Read the letter Hermione, it will help."  
Noticing what sounded like genuine pleading in his voice, she could only comply and read the letter. "Okay," she said softly. "Is it all right if I sit down?"  
"Of course. I forgot my manners. Would you two like a cup of tea?"  
"Oh, sure." And "Thanks Draco." Were heard from both Hermione and Ginny.  
Hermione settled into the couch and began to read, while Ginny stayed where she was in the beanbag chair, completely absorbed into the book by Professor Vindictus Viridian.  
  
"Hurry Ron!"  
"Harry my broom doesn't go that fast! Why are we going to your tent anyway?"  
"Cause I want to show it to you. There's someone who you should meet."  
"Ah. It is a girl, mate?" Ron said slyly.  
Harry stopped short laughing at the idea of him and Draco. "No, not a girl, just a new friend. I think that it's important that you are okay with him. Can you promise me to be nice and keep an open mind?"  
"Sure, I can do that."  
"Thanks."  
Harry an Ron touched down in the clearing in which the tent stood. They landed their brooms against a tree. "That's odd." Ron said to Harry.  
"What's odd?"  
"Harry I could have sworn there was two broomsticks there."  
"Strange." (A/N: the invisibility spell is wearing off. It already wore off Hermione and Ginny. It wears off faster on people.)  
Harry and Ron went into the tent.  
  
The tent, just before Harry and Ron enter.  
Hermione finished reading Draco's letter. She wipe a tear from her eye. Draco came in from the small kitchen with tray that had three willow patterned cups of tea on it, and a tea pot that was patterned with an interesting design that resembled a turtle's shell.  
"Oh Draco, I'm so sorry." Hermione breathed. She rose and took that tray and set it on the coffee table, and gave him a hug. "Of course I'll be your friend."  
Draco then realized that the bushy haired girl wasn't trying to choke him, she was giving him a hug. He hugged her back.  
At that moment Harry and Ron came in. Harry seeing Hermione and Draco hugging, tried to push Ron back out of the door.  
"What Have you decided that you don't want me to meet your friend after all?"  
"Oh no, that's not is I just realized how... messy this place is." Harry finished hurriedly and shoved Ron back out of the door. "Why don't you fly around for a few minutes while I clean up."  
"That's sounds fine Harry." Ron replied, a bit puzzled by Harry's behavior.  
  
"Hi Harry, Hermione and Ginny stopped by for a bit."  
"Thanks for telling me Draco, have you and Hermione become friends then?"  
Draco smiled and replied with a pleased sounding yes.  
"Well be sure to study, she's a real nag about schoolwork."  
"Sounds an awful lot like my dad. Always bugging me about being the best of the best. When he found out that I was second-best to you, a mud- blood, excuse the term, bad things happened."  
Harry having a pretty good idea about what sort of bad things had happened, changed the subject. "How do you think that Ron is going to take it?"  
"I think that if we show him the letter, it might help. Could I be your friend too, Draco?"  
"Thanks Ginny. I never thought that I'd ever have real friends. That's a good idea about the letter, but why don't we take my signature off of it?"  
"Even better idea Draco. Any other ideas Hermione?" Harry asked.  
"No Harry, only that Draco shouldn't be here when Ron comes in."  
"That's a good point Hermione. Since I think that I hear him landing in the clearing, I'll go to my room." Draco left, trailing a flesh colored string after him.  
  
A/N: Thank you for reviewing. The book that Ginny read, is from Sorcerer's Stone, pg. 80 in the American hardcover. The full title is: Curses and Countercurses (Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly Legs, Tongue-Tying and Much, Much More). Now if only I had that book. The neighbor kids have been quite annoying of late. 


	9. Meeting Malfoy or Sleepover!

  
  
"Harry?" Ron asked from outside the tent. "Have you finished cleaning?"  
Harry laughed. "No. I didn't do any cleaning, that was just a stall for time."  
"So I can come in then?" Ron asked as he entered the tent.  
Ginny smiled. "That was a pointless question, Ron."  
"Ginny, haven't you learned by now that Ron has a penchant for asking stupid questions?" Hermione asked Ginny.  
"While you guys are discussing me as if I am not here, I am going to ask Harry who he wanted me to meet. So Harry," said Ron, turning towards Harry. "Who it is that I am supposed to meet?"  
"Well, not exactly meet, you already know him..." Harry's voice trailed off in uncertainty. "Maybe he should come out and introduce himself."  
"Harry?"  
"Yes Hermione?"  
"I don't know if that's a good idea..." Hermione's voice trailed off in a warning.  
"I can make it so he can't do any magic?"  
Harry and Hermione were now conferring in a small circle with Ginny included. "I can put a lock on his wand."  
"And how are you going to do that with out him noticing?"  
"Simple. Just like this." Harry made a small motion with his hand, and a small dot of light appeared in his palm. "Ron." He whispered to it. The dot of light flew to Ron's wand and affixed itself to the tip of it. Ron, looking at the tea set, didn't notice it.  
"Harry, how'd you do that?"  
Ginny beat him to the answer. "Wandless magic. Ron can't do it, so you're safe."  
Harry grinned. Hermione stared at Harry with a jealous look on her face. "I've read about it and tried, but I can barely do anything with it. I can light a fire or a torch, but that's about it."  
"It comes by me naturally. I only learned about it a week ago. Just before I left the Dursley's."  
"How?"  
"A plate was falling, and not wanting to get beat, I automatically used Wingardium Leviosa, and I didn't have my wand, but it worked. Still got beat though."  
"Harry? Are you saying that you've been abused?"  
"Umm. Yeah. Sorry for not telling you before, it just never felt right."  
"Oh Harry, I'm so sorry." Hermione gave Harry a hug.  
"It's okay Hermione, I think that Dumbledore knows. At least he should by now."  
"Hey!" Their conversation was interrupted by Ron. "Aren't I suppoused to be meeting someone?"  
"Oh yeah." Hermione muttered. "Ron. Can you promise not to get mad?"  
"Of course. It's not as if your sharing your home with Draco Malfoy is it?"  
At Harry's silence, Ron looked to Hermione. When Hermione remained silent his gaze fell on Ginny. Not getting an answer from anyone, he sat down on the couch . Muttering something like "Oh no, they've betrayed me."  
Draco came out of the room. "Hello, Weasley, and he is actually sharing his tent with me. We've become friends."  
"Malfoy." Ron said, not bothering to hide the bitterness in his voice.  
Hermione sighed and sat down on a beanbag in the corner with Ginny. "This is going just great."  
Ginny agreed with Hermione. "The expression on Ron's face was interesting, if only I had a camera."  
"Harry." Ron said in a strangled voice, "Please tell me this is some sort of joke."  
"Sorry Ron. It isn't."  
Ginny leaned over in Hermione's ear, "What about the letter?"  
"Thanks for reminding me." Hermione got up and went to the desk. She took the charms that were hiding who the letter was from off of it, and handed it to Ron. "This might help explain things."  
"Hey, Draco wouldn't this be a perfect time to ask them about the thingy?"  
Draco looked up. "Yeah it would be."  
"Do you want to tell them? I'm not really sure how to explain it."  
Draco smiled. "Is, I've found out that I own a majority of these woods, and I want to build a house by magic, and I need some people to help, too hard for you?"  
"No I suppose not." Harry grinned. "What he said."  
Hermione had been following their conversation and the book that was out on the coffee table made sense now. That wasn't an easy spell. And it needed at least ten people. Well, with who is here now there are five people, and that leaves five more. I suppose asking the adults is out of the question because they're likely send Harry and Draco back to their respective homes. Maybe Fred and George, but that still left three people. "Guys, I hate to pry, but that spell requires ten people, and I can only figure out seven."  
Draco smiled. "I've got the grocer and his wife to help, and he's going to get his friend's nephew to help."  
"Who is the nephew?"  
"I don't know if he will help."  
"Just tell."  
"Neville."  
"Oh. I see where that might be a problem." Harry said.  
"But why doesn't Harry ask?" Hermione said. "It would be easier to just sort of spring the whole Draco thing on him last moment."  
Ron looked up from the letter. The letter looked like the truth, and Harry accepted him. So did Hermione and Ginny. What if it wasn't the truth? Ron decided to tolerate Draco, but not entirely trust him, as he had been a really big git in the past five years. (A/N: I can't remember if I made it clear, but it's the summer after the fifth year. I think I might have Sirus come back? What do you think?)  
Ron cleared his throat to get the other's attention. "Okay, I've decided to give this thing a chance." He held out his hand to Draco. "Truce?"  
Draco heaved a sigh of relief. He had been worried that Ron might attack him. He felt something going by him that seemed to be headed for Ron. He looked down at knee level, where something might be. He couldn't see anything in front of him, so he looked behind him. There was nothing behind him but Harry, who has a satisfied smile on his face. Draco realized that he hadn't taken Ron's hand. He took it and murmured, "Sorry, I was thinking."  
Draco and Ron shook hands. Harry conjured another cup of tea and gave it to Ron. "Why don't we all have a cup of tea?"  
"That's sounds good Harry." Hermione replied. "Since what's in the pot now is getting cold, why don't I go and make some more?"  
"Okay, that's great. By the way, if you want, you can do it magically, these woods are protected from magic. The ministry or anyone else can't sense anything here."  
"Really?"  
Harry grinned. He was surprised that Hermione hadn't felt the wards before. They were very strong. He had sensed them the first day. "Feel around you with your magic Hermione."  
Hermione remained silent for a moment. "Wow. Those are some very strong wards." Serpentine had come in from hunting. "Who are all thesse people?"  
"They are my friendss. Did you find enough to eat? You were gone for dayss."  
"No I didn't." Serpentine replied, looking grumpy.  
"Would you like to come to the Weassley'ss with me?"  
"Who are they?"  
"The two red-heads are part of the family."  
Serpentine had slithered over to Ron who was eying Draco warily, who was trying not to notice Ron watching him. She turned her head to Harry and nodded. Then she got onto the couch next to Ron and wrapped herself around his arm. Ron visibly stiffened.  
"He doesn't like me, masster." Serpentine said with a vindictive tone to her hiss.  
Harry looked at Ron. "Sorry mate. She won't bite, We're on friendly terms."  
"Are you sure about that Harry?" Ron asked with a note of fear in his voice. "It's just that after the snake attack on my dad.." His voice trailed off.  
"Yes Ron. I'm pretty sure that she is a totally different species from that snake."  
Serpentine looked up sharply. "What snake?"  
"Erm. Voldemort'ss snake."  
"Goes by Nagini? Great big thing?"  
"Yeah, why?"  
Serpentine made a noise and began to slither away. Before she could get too far away, Harry used a summoning charm to get her back over to her. "Answer me," Harry said to his snake, putting a twist of magic into it, "Do you know who Nagini is?"  
His snake looked as if it was fighting not to tell, but it did. "Yes. Nagini is a very distant cousin. Never liked her very much." Serpentine added as a defense for her family.  
"It's okay. We just won't let the other's know. You can't pick your family." Harry said, thinking of the Dursleys.  
"Harry? The tea's ready."  
"Thanks Hermione. I'm done talking with my snake." He shot a look at Serpentine that clearly said 'for now'.  
Ron laughed nervously. "So is she related to You-know-who's snake?"  
"No." Harry forced the word out. He hated lying to his friends, he must have glared or something because Hermione said something about his appearance that he didn't quite catch.  
"What was that Hermione?"  
"You look different."  
"I do?"  
"Yes. I can't figure it out though."  
Harry went over to a mirror that was on the wall, and frowned. "My hair's longer, I think." He was startled when he saw something of someone in his frown. That's strange. I guess I've been spending to much time in potions. I must have picked up Snape's frown. (A/N: or not. Could the change be starting early????) His eyes caught the reflection of the clock on the wall. It was only five o'clock or so. Wait a second, things are backwards in a mirror. So that meant that it was... "Shit!"  
"What is it Harry, have you noticed how long your hair is?"  
"No Ron, Take a look at the clock."  
"Mum's not going to be happy with us."  
"Maybe you guys could stay the night here?"  
"That would be," Ginny paused. "Interesting," she finished.  
"There's enough space. We could owl your mum." Harry stated.  
"That would be good. Why don't you owl mum, and we'll find out what happens." Ginny said to Harry.  
"Do you think that Hermione would mind?"  
"Mind what?" Hermione had finished in the kitchen, and now had a tray of sandwiches.  
"Staying here for the night."  
"Not at all. It would be great fun. But what will your guy's mum think?"  
"I'm not sure. It won't hurt to ask. We can have Fred and George bring some clothes over."  
"They wouldn't do that." Ron said looking at Harry as if he were crazy.  
"Sure. If you asked, but if the right person asked, say the person who made their joke shop possible asked..." Harry trailed off.  
"I see what you mean. Why don't you write the letters now? I'll go and get your owl."  
"Okay then." Harry just thought of something. "Hey Draco, do you mind them staying the night?"  
Draco appeared thoughtful for a moment. "Not at all." Seeing that all of the sandwiches had been eaten, he picked up the tray and said, "How about I go and get some more refreshments?"  
"Do we have more refreshments?"  
"Yes, my neighbor shrunk my trunk and some of my belongings, the ones she could get from mother anyway, and they arrived by owl, soon after you left. I decided to go and do a bit of shopping."  
"Okay then." Draco went towards the kitchen and opened a bag of chips and dumped them in a bowl with some dip in another bowl. He thought for a moment, and pointed his wand at the dip and it's appearance changed to something resembling fresh roadkill. Draco grinned and went back to where the rest of the teens were sitting.  
"Here, I brought some chips and dip."  
"Thanks!" The replies were eager until they saw exactly what was in the tray. When Harry saw it he knew that it was probably normal and he swept his hands over his eyes. It was just normal dip. Harry had done the same to Draco's dinner a few days ago, and he winked at Draco and took a chip with some dip.  
Hermione had been watching them, "Are you going to eat that?"  
Harry grinned in response and shoved the chip into his mouth.  
"Harry!?"  
"Yes?"  
"Ick." Was all Hermione would say. Then she thought back, and realized that Harry had winked at Draco and before that he had passed his hand over his eyes. Remembering Harry's affinity for wandless magic she smiled. The dip wasn't really road kill, it was probably normal dip that Draco had spelled to look like roadkill. There was only one way to find out. She took her wand and made up an excuse about how her eyes were hurting, and tapped the bridge of her nose. That she took a look at the dip again. It was just normal dip. She smiled and took a chip with some dip. Ron gaped at her.  
"Are you mad Hermione? Do you even have the slightest idea what that is?"  
"Yep. I've got an absolutely perfect idea of what this is. It's a chip with some dip, and I'm hungry, so I'm going to eat it."  
"Yeah, dip that's probably meant for vampires!"  
Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron. "If that's how you see it." She answered Ron sweetly.  
"Draco, could you come with me really quick? I want to ask you something." Hermione asked, wanting to know the spell for the dip.  
"Sure Hermione." Draco got up and went over to the corner with Hermione.  
"Would you mind telling me what that spell you used on the dip is?"  
"Sure, just don't go around telling it to everybody. A friend of mine came up with it a while ago and it's still fairly new." Draco leaned closer and whispered something in her ear. "That's it. It lasts for at least a day. So far we haven't figured out how to take it off of the food. It only works on food though."  
"If you don't mind me asking, who came up with it?"  
Draco smiled. "Potter." With that he went back to the rest of the group.  
Hermione looked over at Harry who was looking at her with a smirk that reminded her of someone. But who did it remind her of? (A/N: twilight zone theme song thing starts to play.) She went over to ask Harry how he came up with it, but was interrupted by the entrance of Fred and George Weasley. Draco, she had noticed, had gone to the room that was, presumably his.  
"Hello Harry, Ron, Ginny, Hermione. Mum's said that you guys can stay here under one condition. That George and I stay with you and that we don't hurt the muggles." Fred said grinning at Harry.  
"Which as we all should know is quite impossible to do." George said with another grin directed at Harry.  
"Well that sounds like a good plan. We are going to probably all end up here, sleeping on the floor." Harry said.  
"Oh no! Don't you know that the sofa folds out? I'm sure we can magically expand it so we can all sleep comfortably." Fred said.  
"Let's see, there are six of us right?" George asked scanning the room.  
Harry cleared his throat. "Actually, there are seven of us."  
Another throat cleared itself by the entrance. "Make that eight. Neville's uncle has fallen ill and I've been charged with the care of him. I thought that he could hang out with you guys. That is if you don't mind?" Kevin said from the doorway.  
Harry quickly said, "No, of course we don't mind. We can promise not to harm Neville, and we're friends from school."  
"Thanks Harry. Gran's at St. Mungo's with my uncle. I'm pleased that you will let me stay."  
Harry smiled. "I'm sorry about your uncle, but you are always welcome with me, that is when I have a home." Harry smiled towards Neville, "Why don't you come in, you can put your things in my room," Harry said seeing that Neville had a small trunk.  
Neville followed Harry towards his room. Kevin said good-bye to Neville, promising that if his uncle got worse, he would let him know, and left.  
"So then we've got eight people staying the night here." Fred commented.  
"I think that spells something out for us." George countered.  
"A five letter something?" Fred asked George. He nodded.  
"PARTY!" the twins shouted in unison. Harry smiled grimly, thinking that when they found out who the seventh person was, they might not be so happy. Harry had brought Neville back in and sat him down by the chips.  
"Here Neville, why don't you have some chips? Oh! Don't worry about the appearance of the dip, it's just a prank I came up with." Harry passed a hand over Neville's eyes. "See? Perfectly normal dip." Ron glared at Harry and he smirked back at him. (me, the editor: since when does Harry smirk??? I'm confused.)  
Neville smiled sadly and offered his thanks.  
"Am I interrupting something?" Draco asked from his doorway.  
"Hello Draco. No you're not. Why don't you explain to our newest three guests, who appear to have been put into shock by your sudden appearance, exactly what the hell you're doing here."  
"Okay. But I'm not really sure how to explain it."  
"Is a simple, I refused the Dark Mark and my dad kicked me out and I ended up here, too much?" Harry asked, remembering a similar comment earlier.  
"You forgot the bit about how I'd like to be friends with all of you." Draco replied dryly.  
Neville was openly gaping at the other's comfortable stances around Draco.  
"Hello, Mr. Longbottom. I'm Draco Malfoy. You may call my Draco if you wish." Draco said standing in front of Neville with his hand extended.  
  
Neville looked puzzled for a moment, then shrugged and rose and took Draco's hand and shook it. "Pleased to meet you Draco. You may call me Neville if you wish."  
"Friends?" Draco asked.  
"Friends." Neville confirmed.  
Harry had noticed that Fred and George had gone into the kitchen with Ron. Harry could hear a muffled noise. Harry figured that Ron was yelling at Fred and George about Draco. Should I go in there and try to reassure Ron that Draco is on our side? He thought for a moment and decided to go in there. Just as he got to the door something like 'He blocked my magic so I couldn't do anything to him!' stopped him. Maybe I shouldn't go in there. Harry thought. Or maybe he shouldn't. He really didn't want to get cursed into oblivion by his best friend.  
Hermione had come up behind him. "Sounds like Ron's pretty mad. I think you should go in there."  
"Do I look like I want to get cursed into oblivion?"  
"No, but I do know that you know a number of useful shields." Hermione told him.  
"Good point, I figured an interesting one out a while go. I was bored, so Draco and I dueled."  
"And you lived?"  
"I'm standing right in front of you, aren't I?"  
"Yes." Hermione answered.  
"Okay then. Anyway, I'm not going to let anyone kill me. The shield is really interesting. I don't know an incantation for it though. I have to do it in my head. It is pretty strong at first, but it gets stronger. Can you guess why it gets stronger?"  
"Put it up."  
Harry did so.  
Hermione looked at the shield and put a hand on it. She smiled and drew her wand. She waved her wand as if shaking something off the tip of it. A very powerful curse hit Harry's shield. The girl then came up and put her hand on the shield. She smiled, and then sent another curse at the shield. "I was right."  
"Really? So you know what it is?"  
"Yes. It absorbs the power of anything I send at it to make it more powerful."  
"Very good. Now if only there were an incantation for it." Draco stated dryly. He had been watching them.  
"True, but I'm sure that we could figure it out somehow." Hermione said, her eyes glinting from the challenge that faced her.  
"Hermione, how can Harry do it if there is no incantation?" Neville asked, looking puzzled.  
Harry smiled and said, "I came up with the spell using wandless magic. For this shied, all I do is think of the shield with my magic. It just happens. I can say lumos, and my finger lights up, if that's what I want to light up." The tip of Harry's finger had lit up. "If I want, I can think the counter spell, and it goes out." Harry thought "nox" and it went out.  
Harry smiled and put up his shield and went into the kitchen to start helping Fred and George calm Ron down.  
"Harry, what are you thinking making that Slytherin garbage your friend? He's always been mean to us. Never nice. Always mean." Ron said, shouting so loud, that Harry made his shield do sound too, he could still hear Ron, but it was at normal tones.  
Much better, he thought. "Ron, did that letter mean anything to you? He refused the Dark Mark and he got kicked out for it. He needed a home. At the time I happened to have an extra room, so I figured he could stay with me for a day."  
"A day! He's been here for longer than a day."  
"Okay, he got here last Monday. Happy?"  
"Nearly a week! You and him are friends? With a Death Eater's son?" Ron shouted so loudly that it came through his shield as a shout.  
"Yes and if you'd like to know, all of Voldemort's Death Eaters are out of Azkaban."  
"They are?" Ron's voice wasn't yelling anymore, it was down to a normal tone with Harry's last statement.  
"Yes. They've taken the prison out of the Dementor's power now. Didn't you wonder how Draco's father was there to try and give him the Dark Mark?"  
"Yeah. I thought that I'd give him a chance." Ron said quietly.  
"So why don't you do that?" Harry asked Ron.  
"Yes, I'll go and do that." Ron said. "Why don't you explain what's happening to Fred and George. You two can let go of me. I won't do anything to anyone. You have my word." Fred and George, who had been restraining Ron, let him go.  
Harry thought for a moment and decided that it would be safe to take down his shield. "Okay, so I suppose you want to know what's going on. Right?"  
"Actually. We already know." Fred said.  
"Yeah. When we enchanted the tent, we included a few surveillance spells." George told Harry.  
"Really."  
"Yeah." The twins stated together. They had the grace to look guilty.  
"Just where are these spells?"  
"There's one in the sitting room—" Fred told Harry.  
"The one outside—" George stated.  
"The one in you room—" Fred said after George.  
"and the one in the kitchen." George finished.  
"Is that all?"  
"There's one in Draco's room, but we don't really pay attention to it."  
"Would you mind telling me the incantation?"  
"There's a few. Why don't we write them down for you?"  
"That sounds good. I've got an interesting idea."  
Harry went into the sitting room. If it's going to work, I'm going to need to get all the other out of here. "Could all of you guys go outside? I'm going to try something. I need Hermione though."  
"Why do you want us to go outside, Harry?" Neville asked.  
"Because I'm going to try some magic that I've never done before and I'm asking Hermione to help me." Harry replied.  
"Oh. What sort of magic?" Neville asked.  
"Something I've never done before." Harry said. "It's going to be a surprise." He added as an afterthought.  
"Okay then." Neville said as he was leaving. "Do you mind if we fly around a bit?"  
"No, as long as you don't get hurt."  
"Harry?"  
"Yes Hermione."  
"What are you going to do?"  
"You know muggle entertainment centers?"  
"Yeah." Hermione, the realization slowly dawning on her.  
"Well, how would you like to have a night with a lot of movies?" Harry said.  
"That would be so cool."  
"Well what are we waiting for? Let's do some magic!" Harry and Hermione then began to transform sheets of parchment and rocks into a television, and a VCR, and a DVD player. (A/N: I am perfectly aware that the year is 1996 in the story, but I want to have a DVD player. Then they can watch Pirates of the Caribbean, and have the second 'special features' disc.)  
"Harry, Could I do something to the telly?"  
"Sure. Might I ask what?"  
"The muggles are coming out with a thing called a plasma TV. They can get very large and I thought that I could transfigure the one we've got now into a plasma screen."  
Harry thought for a moment. "Okay then."  
Hermione concentrated for a bit and did a spell. Suddenly they had a very thin, very large television screen.  
Harry was mesmerized by the size of the screen. "Where'd you learn that?"  
"Oh. When I was bored I'd go and see if the Professor who taught Muggle Studies was free and if he could teach me a few things."  
"Fun. I think we need something more..." Harry's voice trailed off as he thought. He waved his hand and suddenly quite a few cushions that looked like they belonged in the divination classroom appeared. "I think that's it, Hermione."  
"Movies!" Harry exclaimed. "How could we have forgotten movies!" A sly expression appeared in his face. Harry concentrated on something and a large pile of movies appeared.  
"Harry where did you get those?"  
Harry smiled. "The Dursley's."  
"They're going to be mad." Hermione stated.  
"I'm hoping that they're not home. It's Sunday evening. They are usually out for dinner now. All they will think is that someone robbed them." Harry said.  
"Good point. Why don't we go to the grocers and get some movie food?"  
"That sounds like an idea." Harry said. "Let me go and get some money."  
"I'll go and get the others."  
"Okay."  
Harry went to get his money, and Hermione went to get the others. Soon they set off towards the grocers. Some flying, some walking.  
  
A/N: Hey. I am so sorry that I haven't posted in forever. I will try to get the next chapter up by next Thursday. That's a week. I think that should be plenty of time for me to get it finished. In truth, I have it done, but I need to go over it and then get the chapter after it done so I will be ahead. Does this make sense? I hope so. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

A/N2: YAY! I finally got on the computer, I updated, AND it kept all my indents! I hope you liked it, tell me what you think. aka, REVIEW!


	10. A new place to live

Disclaimer: I don't own HArrry POtter, If I dod, why would I be writing _fanfiction?_ I be working feverishly on Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.   
  
A/N: I'm sorry it took so long. I waas working on the next chapter and I completly forgot to update. I think that the next chapter is done, and I just might divide it up into two parts. OR not.

To my reviewers: Thanks for reviewing.  
**Lady Lily3:** Glad you liked the ending. I hope that the ending of this one is satisfactory.  
**Sparkling silver angel:** He won't. Originally he did, but I had a brillant beyond brillant idea. Harry still finds out though, it's in the next chapter.  
**Now go and read! please.**

Harry was woken up by someone cooking in the kitchen. He looked around and saw seven sleeping forms around him. If everybody was asleep except him, then who was cooking in the kitchen? He got up silently and made his way around the sleeping forms towards the kitchen. He eased open the door and poked his head around it. To his surprise there were two house elves making a mix between breakfast and lunch. They both looked familiar. One of the elves turned around. It was Dobby!  
"Master Harry!" Dobby exclaimed as he ran to give Harry a hug. "Dobby and Winky have been sent to make food for your sleeping friends and you!"  
Harry was relieved, the thought of making food for eight people was a nightmare. He had no idea how Mrs. Weasley managed it. Then something clicked, Dobby was a Hogwarts elf. "Dobby, who sent you?"  
"Masters Dumbledore and Snape. They came with us too." Dobby replied.  
Harry tensed up. What if they were here to take him to the school for the rest of the summer? He liked it here. The woods were warded, and he was making friends with Draco. "Where are they?" he asked.  
"They went out to gather some plants."  
"Thank you Dobby, would you like some help with the food?"  
Dobby looked appalled at the idea of Harry helping with the cooking. "No, Dobby and Winky can manage the food just fine." Dobby began to push Harry out of the small kitchen. "You just go and wake your friends. The food will be ready in half and hour."  
Harry smiled. Hermione was going to insist on helping the elves make food. He began waking everybody up. When everyone was displaying some sign of wakefulness he began talking.  
"Morning. Apparently Professors Snape and Dumbledore have come to pay a visit. I don't know if they expected to find so many of us here, but there are two House-elves making breakfast for us. Before you go and help them Hermione, I already offered. They, or at least Dobby said no. The other elf is Winky. Since there are eight of us and one bathroom, we are going to have to take turns. Does anyone object to going in the reverse order that we arrived here?"  
"I believe that's fine, Harry." Fred said.  
"Why don't we make another bathroom?" George asked.  
"Then we'd all have seven minutes or so." Fred finished.  
"That would be great." Harry said. "So the first the in the bathrooms would be Neville and Ron. After them is Ginny and Hermione. Draco and one of the twins. Then me and whichever twin didn't go. Is that right?  
"I suppose so." was the general comment.  
"The second bathroom is done. You will have to supply your own toothbrush though." George said.  
Neville and Ron went to take their showers. The rest filled the half hour with idle chatter. A few minutes after Harry and Fred emerged from the bathrooms with slightly damp hair and fresh clothing on, Dobby and Winky came out bearing four trays. They gave the trays to four people and then they went back in and came out with another four trays. Everyone had a tray with pancakes, pumpkin juice, eggs, bacon, and a bowl of cereal on it. Winky went back to the kitchen and came out with another tray. This tray had a large pitcher of pumpkin juice on it, some syrup, a pile of toast and a thermos with some coffee in it.  
"Thank you for breakfast Dobby and Winky." Harry hadn't noticed that Dobby had gone outside.  
Dobby came back in. "Professors will be joining you in a moment." Then he went back into the kitchen. There was an audible gulp after Dobby's statement.  
"I wonder if I'm going to get dragged back to Hogwarts." Harry said, voicing his fear.  
"I'm probably going to be forced to go back home." Draco said. "I really don't want to go there."  
"An awful thought just occurred to me." Harry said. "What if they force me to go back to the Dursley's?"  
"That would be awful," Ron said around a mouthful of egg. He swallowed and continued. "I'm sure that Dumbledore would let you stay with us."  
"I think that I am safe in the woods. They are heavily warded."  
"They are?"  
"Yeah. It's a ward that only lets on people who have good reasons for being here." Harry said.  
Ron thought for a moment. "So if I was He-who-must-not-be-named, and I was going to come in the woods to murder you, the wards wouldn't let me in?'  
"I think so. I don't know how strong the wards are, so he might be able to break through them." Harry said, thinking that maybe he wasn't that safe after all.  
"Harry, maybe you could give the wards the characteristic that that shield that you came up with had." Hermione told him.  
"You have a good point there." Harry said. "We'll have to find out if that will mess up the current wards before we do that."  
"Do what?" yet another dry voice from a doorway (A/N: I have got to find another way to introduce people. The leaning on the doorway and making a comment thing is getting sort of redundant.) They all turned towards the doorway. There was Professor Snape and Dumbledore standing in the doorway.  
"Hello Professor Snape, Headmaster Dumbledore. What brings you two here?" Harry asked from his seat on a cushion with his half finished breakfast on his lap.  
"The fact that your relatives abandoned you in the woods."  
Harry thought for a moment. "Why weren't you here earlier? Surely you found out a while ago."  
"I had other things to attend to. Today is the earliest that I could come and see how you were faring."  
"Good point. May I ask, when did you arrive?" Harry asked, curious to know.  
"We arrived at the grocers at eight-thirty—"  
"Oh no! I was supposed to go to work!" Harry said.  
"It's okay, my boy, when you didn't show up at work, we, Professor Snape, Kevin, and myself, came to your tent. When we saw that you were sleeping, it wasn't hard to deduce that you had had your friends over and had most likely stayed up late. Kevin gave you the day off."  
"That was nice of him." Harry muttered.  
"Yes. We then returned to Hogwarts, and got the two house elves, since I assumed that none of you really want to cook breakfast for eight people. We then returned here. After that, the elves, seeing the state that the kitchen was in, began cleaning and informed us that they would have breakfast in an hour and a half. Which brings us to now." Professor Dumbledore finished speaking and sat down on a cushion next to Neville.  
Winky came out of the kitchen again with two more trays. She gave one to Professor Snape and one to Dumbledore. "Your breakfast, since you have now missed the late breakfast at Hogwarts." Dumbledore smiled his thanks.  
"Severus, why don't you sit down? These cushions are quite comfortable."  
"They appear to resemble the ones in Sibyll's classroom." Severus said.  
Harry and Hermione looked at each other. Hermione asked Harry. "You didn't get these that same way you got the movies, did you?"  
Harry shook his head. "I just made them happen."  
Hermione appeared reassured. "Okay then."  
Severus had followed this conversation. "Potter? How did you get the aforementioned movies?"  
Harry looked startled. "I borrowed them."  
"Who from?" Severus asked, not satisfied with the answer.  
"Dursleys." Harry said amidst a false coughing fit.  
"Do they know that you have them?" Severus asked harry.  
"Have you ever met the Dursleys?" Harry asked as an answer.  
Severus sighed. He could see that the boy got his temper from him. The fact that the boy was related to him also helped explain the 'O' he got on his potions exam.  
"Harry," Dumbledore was asking the boy something. "When is your birthday?"  
Harry grinned. I'll be sixteen in five days, sir."  
"Interesting. That would be this Saturday?"  
"Correct." Harry answered.  
"Maybe we could have a small party at Hogwarts, since your current accommodations, seem a bit crowded for a decent sized party."  
"Are you sure that would be okay?" Harry asked, never having had a birthday party before.  
"Yes, I'm sure that that would be okay. Seeing as it is the summer holidays, you may call me Dumbledore."  
"Thank you." Harry said, knowing that that was a privilege. "Does that go for the rest of us?" He asked.  
Dumbledore smiled and patted Neville on the head. "Of course it does. I'm sure the Severus wouldn't mind if you all called him Snape."  
Severus looked up at this comment. He had been studying the cushion, trying to figure out which spell Harry had used to make the cushions. He sighed, as he hadn't been able to deduce which spell. "Snape is fine, as long as you only call me that during the summer holidays. Harry, would you mind telling me what spell you used to get the cushions. I can't figure it out."  
Harry had been startled by the fact the Snape had addressed him by his first name, instead of his surname. "Er. Well, a few weeks ago I found out that I could do wandless magic.—"  
Harry was interrupted by Dumbledore. "How did this come about?"  
"I was doing the dishes, and I dropped a plate. Instinct kicked in and I used 'Wingardium Leviosa' on it so it wouldn't get broken. Even though my wand was up in my room, it worked." Harry finished.  
"Why was your wand in your room Harry?" Neville asked.  
Snape and Dumbledore, watched to see how Harry would answer. "The muggles I lived with were afraid of magic, so I wasn't allowed to have anything that had to do with magic."  
"Then how did you get you summer homework finished?" Hermione asked.  
  
"I had to do it at night when they were sleeping. To get to my books, I had to break into the cupboard that they had locked them in." Harry finished.  
"They locked your things in a cupboard." Hermione said her mouth agape at how the Dursley's had treated Harry's things.  
"At least they had quit locking me in there, Hermione." Harry muttered.  
"What! They locked you in there?" Fred and George asked in unison.  
Dumbledore turned to the twins. "Did you know about this?"  
"No—" Fred started.  
"But we had—" George continued.  
"Gotten Harry's things out of there in his second year." Fred finished.  
"I wondered why there was a mattress on the floor." George said.  
Harry was going to say that the mattress had only appeared when he turned seven, when Dudley had gotten a new bed.  
Dumbledore then turned to Harry. "Why didn't you ever tell us?"  
"It never occurred to me to tell you." Harry said. "It wasn't as worse when they found out that I was going to go to Hogwarts."  
"That's pleasing to know." Snape said. "Did they ever yell at you?"  
"All the time" Harry said with a sinking feeling in his throat.  
"Did that continue after you were accepted into Hogwarts?"  
"Yes."  
Snape laughed dryly. "So any mental damage continued. Only the physical abuse stopped."  
"For a while." Harry said quietly.  
"What was that that you just said?" Snape asked.  
"Nothing." Harry said quickly.  
Ron who was sitting beside Harry said, "He said 'for a while', Professor." Ron wasn't yet comfortable with calling Professor Snape, Snape. He decided to stick with 'sir'.  
"Harry come here." Dumbledore said. He put a fingertip on Harry's forehead and examined the boy magically. First he looked at the boy's current injuries, then he commanded Harry's brain to reveal any other injuries that had happened in the past. After a few minutes of this, Dumbledore had heard enough. He had only heard the injuries up to age seven, but that was more then enough. Between his cousin and his Uncle, the boy had been beaten over a hundred times.  
"Sir?" Harry asked timidly.  
"I told you to call me Dumbledore."  
Harry tried again. "Dumbledore?"  
"That's much better. Did anything occur to you that if you told someone how you were raised, they could have been made to stop."  
Harry looked ashamed. "No, si—Dumbledore."  
"From now on you are not allowed to go back to the Dursley's house." Dumbledore commanded.  
Harry looked greatly relieved. "Where will I go?" he asked, slightly worried that he would be made to stay at Hogwarts.  
"I suppose we could build you a home here. Then you could stay here for the rest of the summer. The wards on the woods would have to be strengthened though.  
Hermione broke in. "Harry figured something out. It's part of a shield he came up with. It takes any power that is thrown at it and uses that to strengthen the shield. So if He-who-must-not-be-named tried to break through using magic, any magic he used would be part of the shield."  
"Is that so, Harry." Dumbledore asked.  
"Yes. Me and Draco were dueling and I made a shield, and then I tweaked it a few times using wandless magic." Harry thought for a moment and put up the shield. "It seems stronger than it was last time I used it. I believe it keeps the power that it absorbed and is still using it. Hermione, throw a variety of curses at me, but wait until anyone who wants to see how powerful it is does that first."  
Hermione got her wand out. "Finished?" She asked Dumbledore and Snape. They nodded. She threw a number of curses at Harry, each using more and more power, until finally, she got to the most powerful curse she knew that was legal.   
"Why don't you see how powerful the shield is now." Harry said lazily.   
"Wow. Miss Granger, I am impressed at how much power you have used in those curses. And you are still able to stand. Many a witch or wizard would be unconscious having used that much magic." Dumbledore stated calmly.   
"DA meetings helped." Hermione said matter-of-factly.   
"Yeah. They really did. I am much better with magic." Neville said eagerly.   
"So that is what shall be held accountable for your vast improvement Mr. Longbottom." Dumbledore said. "I was looking over exams and noticed that all of you have improved your grades vastly, with the exception of Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy, who were already at the top. Were all of you DA members?"   
"I believe so. We only formed it because of Voldemort's return, and us deciding that we would like to be able to live through an attack by Voldemort." Hermione said.   
"I am sorry for agreeing to name it Dumbledore's Army." Harry said quietly.   
"It is okay. The ministry would have tried to arrest me for another reason anyway. May I ask why you named it Dumbledore's Army?" Harry and Hermione laughed.   
Ginny broke in. "It was my idea. Dumbledore's Army 'cause it was the ministry's worst fear. Cho wanted Defense Association."   
"It makes sense now." Dumbledore said. "About building a house. I know a spell that takes ten people. Since there are ten of us here, why don't we begin. Although it is safer with twelve people."   
Hermione looked up at Dumbledore. "Would the spell be in the first chapter of Magical Decorating for Dummies?" She asked.   
"Yes."   
"I believe we were going to do that, but we hadn't gotten through the planning stage yet." Hermione said, looking to Harry for confirmation.   
"She's got it right." Harry said.   
"Might I ask, who was going to be the ninth and tenth person?" Snape asked.   
"Draco asked the Grocer and his wife to help. They agreed." Hermione said.   
"Severus, why don't you go and get the grocer. I will go and see if a few more people could come and help. You all can go and help Harry plan what he wants in a house." The coffee table was replaced with a large low round table with the cushions placed around it. "I can do wandless magic too, perhaps, Harry, I could help you learn a few things about it when the school year begins." Dumbledore turned and left.   
"I wonder who he's going to get." Draco asked.   
"Me too." agreed Ron, who seemed to be on speaking terms with Draco.   
"Well, lets start planning." Harry said. "Draco, you are still welcome to live with me. So we will need at least three bedrooms."   
"Three?" Hermione questioned. "One for me, one for Draco, and one for guests. Add two more. One for various Weasley's and one for Hermione, if she ever comes and visits."   
"Various Wealseys?" Ginny asked.   
"Well, Fred and George collect plants here, so they might like a place to stay, Ron is one of my best friends, and you might come to stay. You might stay in Hermione's room, though. It would probably be better suited to a girl."   
"I think that this is going to be a two story house." Hermione said. "I'm going to go and see how much the spell can handle."   
"I'm pretty sure it could handle what we're planning. After all, the same spell was used for Hogwarts. It only had more people doing the spell." Harry said.   
"Where'd you find that out?" Hermione asked him.  
"Kevin told me." Harry said.   
"I think that it needs a big room that can have quite a few people in it. Maybe something like this room." Ginny said sensibly.   
"Yeah. That's a good idea Ginny. Would you write that down Hermione?"   
Hermione made a non-committal noise as she was writing.   
"Hey Harry! Why not a room with a television in it? I think that would be cool." Ron said remembering watching movies until three in the morning the prior night.   
"Yeah! Hermione please write that down!" Harry begged Hermione.   
"Okay. But is there anything that Draco wants?"   
"Yeah. I wouldn't mind a potions lab in the basement." Draco said quietly. At the confused gazes, he said "I take after my godfather, okay!"   
"That's just fine." Hermione said. "Who is your godfather?"   
"Professor Snape. He's actually okay during the summer. Apparently the noise from the students give him constant headaches." Draco said.   
"Okay, so a potions lab in the basement." Hermione stated. "There should be a sitting room, kitchen, a pantry, a small room off the kitchen for a house-elf, I'm thinking two bathrooms, one upstairs, and one downstairs, a storage room, and the room that's going to be my idea, is an enchanted room, like the room of requirement. Any other ideas?" Hermione asked, furiously writing down all that she had said.   
Fred and George conferred for a moment. "A large combined study and library, and a formal front room."   
Harry looked at Fred and George. "Why?"   
"The library and study for doing homework. And the formal front room for doing business." Fred said.   
"It all makes sense now." Harry said. "So Hermione, what do we have?"   
"There is, on the list, five bedrooms, one for Harry, one for Draco, a guest room, one for me, and one for various Weasleys. A big room, I've called the a rec room, and Ron before you ask, it is a muggle term for a room that you can just sort of hang out in. Then a TV room, a basement potions lab, sitting room, pantry, kitchen, room for a house-elf if we get one, two bathrooms, a storage room, I've put basement next to that, a room similar to the room of requirement, a study slash library, a formal front room, and a front hall. That would be the entire list. Does anyone have any objections?" Hermione asked. "There are nineteen rooms on the list. We can add five more. I think that Draco and Harry should each have a private bathroom, since they will be living here."   
"I think that that is fine Hermione." Draco said.   
"I agree." Harry commented. "Now we need to start planning the layout of the rooms. I think that I will make a neat copy of the list. Here is a copy for you guys to make your rooms." As she said that Hermione tapped the list with her wand and it duplicated itself. The rest of the group began planning how it was going to go and Hermione set to copying the list by hand.   
"Hermione?" Harry asked.   
"Yeah?" She replied.   
"We forgot the dining room." Harry said, obviously trying not to laugh. Hermione sighed.   
"I'll write that down."   
"The spell will figure out where the rooms will go, but we need to figure out which floor the rooms will be on." Draco said.   
"Have you done that yet?" Hermione asked. As an answer, Neville held out yet another list.   
"I had the best handwriting." He offered as an explanation.   
"Okay then. Since we're done, and the others aren't back yet, why don't we watch a movie?" Harry suggested.   
"But what movie?" Ron asked.   
Fred and George grinned. "How about the Rocky Horror Show?" Fred said.   
"I've heard good things about that movie." George replied.   
Hermione burst out laughing. "I think that we should watch it. It would be funny how Ron reacts."   
"Why else would we suggest it, Fair Lady Hermione?" Fred commented, bowing in Hermione's direction. They settled down on the cushions and Dobby made them some snacks and they began to watch the movie. Towards the end of it Snape and Dumbledore had come back with a few people. He saw the list on the table and read it over as he went back outside.   
"They've made a list." He told the others.   
"What are they doing now?" Mrs. Weasley asked.   
"They are watching a movie. It is nearly over." Dumbledore replied.   
"How do you know that?" Severus asked.   
"Simple. I've seen it before." He replied.   
"Okay then. Why don't we get down to business?" Tonks asked.   
"That sounds like an idea." Severus said. "I will go and wait until the movie is over and tell them that we have arrived." (A/N: 'We' is Dumbledore, Moody, Snape, Mrs. Weasley, Kevin, Cat, Tonks, McGonagall, and Pomfrey (if something goes wrong). Just thought that I'd tell you who is there.) Severus went into the tent and sat down on an unoccupied cushion. Having seen the movie before he thought about lecturing them on proper movies to watch. He decided not to. As it would be more fun to scare them when it ended. So he sat silently and waited for the end to come. Just as the end credits began to roll, his son said something.   
"Professor Snape, whether or not you decide to sneak up on us, let it be known that seven of the eight may not know that you are here and another seven of the eight participated in a Defense Group last year and they tend to curse first and check second. Just an idea." Harry left his mind.   
Instead of startling them, he decided to clear his throat. "Now that I've got you attention, Dumbledore and I have returned with quite a few people. Also, Dumbledore will need to talk to Harry and Draco privately. The others can go and learn about the spell." They filed out of the tent in front of him. As his son passed him, he winked at him. Severus in turn, glared. The others went towards the main group, while Harry and Draco went towards Dumbledore. Severus followed Draco and Harry.   
"Albus. Are you sure about this?" Severus asked Albus.   
"Yes I am sure. The boy can be trusted and we can make the other swear a blood oath."   
"I think making them both swear a blood oath would be a good idea."   
"Yes. I shall do so. Okay. Draco I am sure that you have heard from you father that there is a secret order fighting against Voldemort? Correct?"   
"Yes." Draco nodded and spoke.   
"We have decided that since we are going to be warding your home extensively, because of Harry's sake, we could put recuperating members of the order at you home. During the School year and during the summer. You will both be informed of a person's presence in your home at all times and all of the bedroom doors will have special locks put on them if you have some recuperating in your home. Do you both agree?"   
"Yes, I agree." Harry said.   
"And, I too, agree." Draco stated solemnly.   
'You may not tell anyone. Only those in the order will know. Is it okay that your home can be used as a temporary safe house?"   
"That is fine." Harry said.   
"I agree with Harry." Draco commented.   
"Okay. The blood oath. It is a simple thing. On this sheet of parchment all you have to do is sign you name in blood and swear to withhold the terms written above." Harry and Draco both read the terms. Harry held his finger over the parchment and went through the motions of signing his name. He concentrated and a few drops of blood came out of his finger tip and signed his name. Draco did the same, except he used his wand.   
"That's a useful spell, Potter." Severus said.   
"Where'd you learn it?"   
"I read it in an old book." Harry said. "Draco recommended the book, so I suspect he got it from the same source."   
"You do realize that that is a very difficult spell to master?" Dumbledore asked Harry.   
"Yes. It took me a few days." Harry said non committingly.   
"Come, now. Let's join the others and begin to build you a home." Dumbledore said.   
"Why don't you two go ahead, I have something I need to discuss with the headmaster." Severus said, motioned for Harry and Draco to continue. "Albus, you do realize that I was planning to tell Harry the truth today?"   
"Yes and the six other teens complicated your plans. Well tonight your son will sleep in his own bed in his own house. What would you think of giving him Dobby as a gift?"   
"You're deliberately changing the subject. The elf does want paying." Severus reminded Dumbledore.   
"Why not Winky?" The old wizard asked.   
"Winky is fine. I suppose if I had a choice, I'd go with Dobby. I shall pay his wage. How much does he get?" Severus asked, as if the very words hurt his tongue.   
Dumbledore smiled a knowing smile. "Only a galleon a month and a day off." Severus' expression brightened.   
"That's not so much. I can easily afford that."   
"We shall have a chat in my office tonight about the elf? Or no. tomorrow afternoon. Do you plan to stay here for the night?" Dumbledore asked.   
"Yes and I plan to tell him and I need an excuse. Do you have any ideas?"   
"I shall tell you if I can find any."   
"Shall we join the group, then?" Severus asked.   
"Most certainly."   
Harry was arguing about how he should be allowed to participate in the spell. McGonagall pointed out a at a yell that he was allowed to participate, he was just going to be telling the spell how he wanted the house. When she saw Severus approaching, she turned her gaze on him and said, "I swear, Severus he's worse than you! I wouldn't know what I'd do if you had a child."   
Both Dumbledore and Severus smiled at this, knowing that she was going to get a son from him in the form of Harry Potter.   
She was continuing, "Dumbledore, could you explain to him that he is going to be part of the spell, he just won't be doing a sort of part he wants."   
"I'm sure Harry could participate in the spelling process, if he really want's a house that's prefect for Draco." Dumbledore said calmly.   
"I've seen his room. I'll sit and tell the spell what I want!" Harry said quickly.   
"I agree. Out tastes clash and I certainly don't want the home decorated in Gryffindor colors. I'll sit and tell it what I want also." Draco said.   
"It will be interesting how the house turns out." Ginny said to Hermione.  
  
"Indeed." Dumbledore commented, having heard Ginny's comment to Hermione.   
"Professors, I don't have all day. I will have to get back to work sometime." Tonks said.   
"You can wait." Moody slowly, dragging every word out. "Or I just may let it slip that you now prefer to be call Nym—" Moody's voice was cut of by Tonks shutting it for him magically.   
"Please, let's quit acting like five year olds and get this house built. Harry and Draco, you two go over there and start thinking of what you want in a house." Professor McGonagall said pointing over to a large boulder. Harry and Draco complied and bean to think of what they wanted in a house.  
  
About an hour and a half later. "It's over. Will someone go and wake Harry and Draco up out of their trances?"   
Hermione and Ginny volunteered. "Harry, Draco wake up."   
They didn't wake up. Ginny thoughy for a moment. "Why don't we shake them?"   
"Wait. I believe there's a stream over there. Why don't we..." Hermione's voice trailed off dangerously.   
"You're evil. Levitate them?"   
"Of course." Hermione replied. When they got to the stream, both Harry and Draco were showing signs of waking up. "I don't want to be mean, so lower them in slowly." They did so.   
Sadly, when Harry woke up the spell wore off and he plunged in. Draco was soon to follow. As they waded out of the pond, they saw Hermione and Ginny running back towards the house.   
"Oh no they don't." Harry said and somehow got them to come back. He then held Ginny in place and told Ginny to stay put, he used a twist of magic in it. Harry grabbed Hermione's wrists, and Draco grabbed her ankles. Together they threw her in.   
"Hey Draco, do you think that Ginny could make a bigger splash?"   
"I don't know Harry, I guess we need to find out." Draco replied. This time Harry got the ankles.   
"On three?" Harry asked. In response Draco began counting. On three they let Ginny go and she made a slightly smaller splash. Harry and Draco then made a run for the house, hoping that they would get there before the girls could catch them. They made it back just before the girls could catch them.   
Severus raised an eyebrow. "You four look a bit wet." He commented, trying hard not to laugh.   
"Yes Professor." Hermione answered for the group. We decided to wake the boys by throwing them in the pond. They woke and decided to throw us in." Hermione finished.   
"Sounds fair." Severus surprised them by not lecturing them on the dangers of throwing people in who can't swim. "Now why don't we take a tour of Harry and Draco's new home. Of course you can't do that wet." Severus cast a drying charm over the four teens.   
By the time they got through all the rooms it was plain whose room was whose. Harry's room was a little on the big side and it had a model of a quidditch pitch on a desk with fourteen tiny players. One team was dressed in scarlet robes and the other in green. The room for the Weasley's had an autographed photo of the Chudley Cannons, a few books on mixing potions and the such, and another model quidditch pitch. The room designated for Hermione had a window seat with comfortable cushions and quite a few books. The guest room was the smallest, it only had a bed, wardrobe and a nightstand.   
Noticing the time, Dumbledore said it was time to leave. "Molly, you may decide what to do with your children and Hermione. I will have Severus stay here to monitor the wards. Neville, would you like to go and see how your uncle is faring? I heard that he is out of critical care, and is able to see visitors."   
Neville looked up. "Would you really?"   
"Of course I would. I'll have you know that the windowboxes are all your contribution. I believe the mass of interesting titles in the library are Miss Grangers. Harry, there are only a few people who can apparate into you home and the surrounding woods. Members of the Order are part of them. All Hogwarts teachers are allowed to also. Good Day." With that last comment, Dumbledore disapparated with Neville.   
"Well then. Mrs. Weasley, are you going to have your charges stay or go?" Harry asked.   
"I don't mind either way. You are welcome to stay also."   
"I believe that I will go home. The others can stay or go. I'll have Ron, Ginny and Hermione home by nine. Fred and George probably have a schedule to attend to, so I have no idea what they will be up to. I have to go shopping. Arthur might be by later."   
"Thank you Mrs. Weasley. I might go and watch a movie downstairs. Who is with me?"  
All of the others were with him except for Fred and George, who had to go and tend to shop. They had told Lee that they would be in by three and that was in a hour. Severus stayed for a word with Molly and then followed the rest downstairs. The movie they had chosen was Quigley Down Under (A/N: it's a very good movie. You should go and find it and watch it. The only remaining seat was beside Potter. Well, the boy was his son, so he supposed that he should get used to sitting by him.  
The main character Quigley, he supposed, was beating up some guy with his rifle. (A/N: at least I think that's how it goes. I think he's doing that 'cause the one guy tried to cut on front of some old people. It's been a while since I've seen that movie.) Harry was obviously very tired, because he fell asleep partway through the movie. What Harry didn't realize, was that he fell asleep and began leaning on Severus. When Severus realized that Harry was sleeping, his only thought which surprised him, was I hope he doesn't drool. Hermione noticed that Marsden resembled Snape. (A/N: I'm pretty sure that Marsden is played by Alan Rickman.)  
That's strange. She looked hard at the man on the screen, who had just gotten thrown out of his own house, and then turned towards Snape to compare. To her surprise there was an uncanny resemblance. She then realized that Harry had fallen asleep and he was leaning on Snape. More to the point Snape was letting Harry leaning on him and sleep.  
"Ron." Hermione whispered to him. "Look at Harry."  
Ron turned back and started in shock. "I've never seen him with that sort of expression on his face."  
"It looks almost like..." Hermione trailed off, not sure what to call the expression on Severus' face.  
Ron could tell what the expression on his face was. It just, it was Professor Snape! Was he capable of love?  
"Hermione, it looks like parental love."  
Hermione turned back again. "You're right. It does look like that." The movie regained their attentions, so they saved the discussion for later. Severus was oblivious to Ron and Hermione's whispered discussion. He was trying to figure out how to tell Harry of his parentage. He very well couldn't just say, Hey Harry, guess what? I'm your father. Cool beans! (that's a tribute to one of my friends. She knows who she is!) No, that wouldn't work. He could always try a semi-direct approach. Maybe Dumbledore could tell Harry for him. But he had told Dumbledore that he would do it himself. Maybe he could just calmly and rationally explain things in the order that they had happened. He had Lily's letter too. That would help. What about his friends? Should he tell him when they were here, so Harry would have them for comfort? Or should he wait until they had left? They had to be home by nine. So maybe he would wait until after they left. Yes, that would be the best way. Snape found himself dropping off too. He wondered if that was a good idea. How would Harry feel waking up leaning on me? Probably horrified. It would be even worse if I was asleep too. It wouldn't hurt if he only slept for a few minutes. As long as he woke before Harry did. Severus thought as he dropped off to sleep. The next time Hermione looked back at Harry and Snape, she nearly laughed. Now Snape was asleep. She nudged Ron and jerked her head back towards Harry and Severus. In his sleep, Severus had put his arm around Harry's shoulders. She thought that they almost looked like father and son. (A/N: If only she knew what was going to happen!)   
Ron looked at her horrified. "I need a camera." He whispered to her.   
"I think that Ginny has a camera." Hermione told Ron.   
"Okay, I'll ask her." He told Hermione, then he turned to Ginny.   
"Do you have a camera?"   
"Yes, why?" Ginny whispered back to Ron.   
"Look at Harry and Snape." Ron told her. Ginny looked back and smiled evilly.   
"Kodak moment!" She informed Ron. Ron looked puzzled for a moment, but let it go as he saw that Ginny had taken her camera out. Ginny took about five different pictures and stopped. "I'm going to go back to the burrow to develop these after the movie is over. I think that I will take a few photos of the house first though."   
"That sounds good. I think I'm going to go back to the burrow too." Hermione agreed with Ginny. They both turned to Ron expectantly.   
"Fine! I'll go back too. Happy?" He said, with a touch of exasperation in his voice.   
"We're happy." Ginny and Hermione said in unison. When the movie was over, they wandered around the house for a bit, Ginny taking photos and then they went back to the burrow. Hermione left a short note to explain their absence.  
  
A/N: Wow. My longest chapter yet. I hope the bit with Harry falling asleep on Severus sounded okay, I had a hard time writing that. Please review. I love knowing what you guys think.


	11. A Load of Things Happen

Harry woke in a dimly lit room. It took a second for him to realize that he had fallen asleep watching Quigley Down Under. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a pale hand resting loosely on his shoulder. Who did he know that had such pale hands? Suddenly he realized that he had been sitting by Professor Snape. The hand looked like it belonged to Snape, but it could always be someone else's. If it were Snape, why hadn't he moved Harry off of him? He then saw a note on the table. Moving slowly as not to disturb the Professor, he got up and went to get the note.

Harry carried the note up two flights of stairs to his room. He decided to sit in the window seat in his room to read it.

Harry-

We saw that you were sleeping, so we decided to go back to the burrow. Ginny took a few photos, and we are going to develop them. Owl us if is it okay to come over tomorrow.

Hermione, Ginny and Ron

Harry-

I'm going to town for a bit. As you were asleep, I decided that you needed your sleep, so I left you at the house. My god-father's not that bad. I will not be back for dinner time, as I have discovered an exquisite café, and I want to see how their dinner tastes.

Draco

Lovely. I am stuck here alone with Snape. It couldn't get worse. Harry pondered what to do until tea time. After much thought Harry decided to read until dinner. He wandered into his library and looked around. It was very nice. Over in the corner by the window there was a desk. Another desk was located in-between two of the bookshelves. Most of the room's walls were taken up by floor to ceiling bookshelves. Harry wandered over and pulled a book out at random. He opened it to the front cover saw something that gave him quite a shock. It said: This book is the property of James Potter. And Lily Evans-Potter.

The last few words were written in a different ink than the first words.

Spying a set of Hogwarts books on a different shelf, he ambled over and pulled a seventh year charms book off the shelf. Inside the cover it said: Property of Lily Evans-Potter. Harry took it over to one of the three armchairs next to the hearth and lit a fire in it. He began flipping through the book. One page was marked by a photograph. It was of his mom and dad, that much he could tell. There were three other people in the photo who he couldn't identify. It looked like it had been taken by the lake at Hogwarts. One of the people was probably Sirius, and the other resembled Lupin. The third man seemed familiar, but he couldn't quite place him. Harry sat and looked at the photo for a few minutes. A thought occurred to him. Maybe the third man was in the photo album that Hagrid had given him! He ran to his room and began looking through his trunk for it.

Once he had found it, he decided to put his things away. While he was doing that, Severus was looking for Harry. He was slowly walking through the house poking his head into each room. When he go to the library, he saw that Harry had lit a fire in the hearth. He walked over to it, for the house was a bit chilly, despite the warm weather outside. Severus caught sight of a photo on the chair. He cringed as he recognized it. That was the last day that Sirius ever talked to me as a friend, he remembered. Severus blamed that fact that Sirius had quit talking to him on the fact that Wormtail had told them that he was a Death Eater. It was true, but he was only there because Dumbledore needed a spy. At the time he had been going out with Lily and James and him had been friends. They had finally quit harassing Severus at the end of their sixth year when they were forced to make a truce. They should have known better than to get in a fight outside Dumbledore's office, but they were young and stupid.

Of course James didn't know that Peter was the Death Eater then,. No body knew it except for the Dark Lord. It could have been worse. Severus was broken out of thought by the library door closing softly. Unbeknownst to him Harry had snuck into the library and grabbed a book and left, shutting the door quietly behind him. Severus realized that the boy was probably avoiding him. Oh well. He would be forced to attend dinner. I could tell him over dinner... No. Best to wait until after dinner, so Harry would have some food in his stomach. Looking at the clock Severus realized that he should go downstairs and see what there was to eat. He assumed that Dumbledore had taken the house elves back to Hogwarts.

"Harry. Dinner is ready." Severus told Harry, who was reading on his bed.

"Okay, I'll be down in a moment." Harry replied absently.

"Preferably now. I've read that book before, and it is quite intriguing. I recommend that you take a break from it as, if I recall correctly, the print is quite small." Severus told Harry.

Snape did have a point, the size of the print was starting to make his eyes hurt. "Okay sir." Harry said meekly as he marked his place and got up and followed Severus to the dining room.

"Harry, could you please not call me sir?" Severs asked, a bit exasperated with the boy as he was sure that Harry was comparing him to his uncle.

"Why?" Harry asked.

"Because I'm sure that it reminds you of your uncle. You may even may be comparing me to your uncle, which I wouldn't like." Severus said to Harry.

Snape was right, he had been comparing him to his uncle. "I'll stop calling you sir. Is Professor okay?" Harry asked.

"Professor is fine." Severus answered dryly. "Do you know where Draco is?" He asked, noting the other boy's absence.

"He went to the village. He said that he was going to eat at a café there." Harry said.

"Okay. How is he coping?" Severus asked; he was genuinely concerned about the boy's welfare.

"I think he's doing good. He's quiet most of the time. I think that he actually wants to be friends." Harry said, a bit surprised by the last statement.

"So you didn't think that he is just trying to get you to the Dark Lord?" Severus asked as he opened the door to the dining room and showed Harry which place was his. There was a third plate, but Severus made it disappear with a wave of his wand.

"I don't think that he is trying to do that, but he may be. I haven't completely let my guard down. Why did Dumbledore let you stay?" Harry asked.

"Because..." Snape paused for a moment. I don't want to tell him yet. I should wait until he eats. "I'll tell you after you eat." Snape mentioned towards Harry's plate. On it was some mashed potatoes and some smoked ham. (A/N: That's what I had for dinner last night. It was yummy.) Harry began to eat. Severus followed his example and began to eat. It was actually quite good. It wasn't up to house-elf standards, but for a wizard who hadn't cooked for a few years, it was fair.

Harry ate quickly. After a few bites he was full, but he tried to eat more. He didn't want Snape to know that the Dursley's had been starving him and he could barely eat more than four or five bites. After the ninth bite he felt like he was going to vomit. He was debating if he should take another bite when Snape asked him a question.

"What did you say professor?" Harry asked.

"I said, Shouldn't you be eating more than that? You are a growing teen. You need your food." Severus said.

Harry mumbled something into his potatoes.

"What did you say?" He asked sharply.

Harry quietly said, "They had been starving me."

"Who is they?" Severus said quietly.

"The Dursley's." Harry said, wishing that the floor would swallow him up.

"I suppose that you've eaten enough then, but I am going to see if I can stay with you to make sure that you eat like you are supposed to." Severus said.

"May I be excused?" Harry asked.

"Yes you may. I wish to talk with you in the library at six-thirty." Severus said.

"Okay Professor. Is it okay if I go for a walk?" Harry asked.

"Yes." Severus said, picking up the dishes.

After cleaning the dishes, Severus went to the library and got a sheet of parchment to owl Dumbledore.

Albus-

I just found out that the muggles starved Harry. If all goes well, and he accepts me as his father, I am requesting permission to stay at Harry's for a while until he is eating properly. I'll owl you again later to tell you how it all goes.

Severus

As Harry was walking he reflected on what had happened today in his life. He suppoused that it was good. He had a home and he was rid of the Dursleys. He lived near Ron, and he had his Firebolt back.

OoOoO Flashback OoOoO

It had been quite a shock for his Aunt Petunia to open the door and find a cat on the doorstep. She looked suspiciously up and down the street, trying to see who had left the cat. She couldn't see anyone. Harry was in the other room so he could hear his aunt muttering about the people who left cats on people's doorsteps.

"Harry, come here." She snapped.

"Yes aunt." Harry said, coming out of the ssitting room where he was dusting. His aunt was still looking out the door trying to see who had left the cat.

"I found this poor cat on the doorstep. Why don't you take her up to your room to feed her? Just be careful not to let Vernon find out about her." Petunia said, finally turning from the door.

"Yes, aunt." Harry said, trying to hide his shock at what, , or more precisely who, the cat was.

"Here then." Petunia said and held out the cat to Harry.

Harry hesitated for a moment before taking the cat. It was awfully strange to be carrying your head of house up the stairs. Harry awkwardly scratched behind Professor McGonagall's ears. To his surprise, she began to purr. "My day just keeps getting weirder and weirder." Harry muttered.

When Harry got to his room and securely shut his door. Professor McGonagall who had gone to Harry's shoulder, jumped to Harry's bed and with a small pop, resumed her human form.

Harry was thankful that there weren't any bruises on his face and hands and that he had chosen to wear a long-sleeved shirt. "Hello Professor, may I ask what are you doing here?"

"Unless you want to wait until the start of next term to retrieve your Firebolt, I will leave now." She replied tartly.

"You have my broom?" Harry said with a nervous glance towards the door.

"Yes I do. Would you like it?" She asked.

"That would be nice. It's one of the only things that I have of him." Harry said, his heart giving a wrench when he thought of Sirius.

"I am sorry for your loss. You must miss him."

"I do. It's almost unbearable, how much I miss him." Harry said. "I can't even stand to say his name."

"If it helps, it lessens in time." Professor McGonagall said sympathetically. Then she pulled a small case out of her robes. "The case is a gift from the staff for general things."

"Like what?" Harry asked.

"Saving the stone, saving Ginny, and bringing Cedric's body back, and alerting the world to he-who-must-not-be-named return." She said, rolling her eyes. They had been trying to tell them for over a year, but they didn't believe Dumbledore. "Back to the case. You tap it with your wand or hand and say '_amplifico_' and it will enlarge." As she was explaining, she showed him how it worked. "To make it small again, you say '_deminutio_'."

Harry did so and made it big then small and big again. When it was big again, he took the broom out and stroked the handle lovingly. "If I make it big and small here without an older wizard in my presence, will I be getting an owl from a certain Mafalda Hopkirk?"

"No. It doesn't count as magic, as it has already been enchanted." Professor McGonagall told him.

For the first time since before Sirius' death Harry smiled. The smile quickly vanished when Harry heard his uncle's car pull in. "You should leave. He doesn't like cats."

Minerva nodded a goodbye and vanished with a slight pop.

OoOoO End Flashback OoOoO

He had some more friends and it appeared that he would be in the loop with the Order. Harry stopped. There was an old looking wroght iron fence in his path. As it was only waist high, he could see over the fence.

It seemed to surround a cemetery. Harry shrugged and decided to find a gate and look at the graves. He followed the fence until he came to a gate. Harry paused before entering. He jumped when the gate gave a loud squeak. He smiled because it seemed fitting that the gate squeaked for some reason. Harry kneeled at the first grave and squinted at the weathered engravings on it.

_Floresco Prudens Malfoy. _

_Solus Multum Potter. _

_1523-1624_

_She was a lovely person and a beautiful wife. _

It occurred to Harry that he was most likely in his family's graveyard. Harry thought of something and walked quickly through the graves, just glancing at them until he came to the one he was looking for. It was slightly hidden behind some weeds, and the stone wasn't as weathered. Obviously it had been a while since someone had visited. Harry began to pull the weeds from his mother's grave.

_Lily Evans_

_m. James Potter_

_1956-1981_

_Her death shall be avenged._

Harry sat and stared at the words until they began to blur before his eyes. He didn't realize that they were blurring from tears until the first one ran down his cheeks. Harry just lay in his stomach on the ground, crying into a mound of grass. He failed to notice the silver mist rising from the headstone until it spoke.

"Harry."

He didn't dare lookup. There was no way that that voice could be real. He hadn't heard that voice since he had dueled with Voldemort at the third task.

"Harry." The voice said again.

Harry dared a glance up. "Mum?" He said, daring to hope.

"Yes." Lily said, a silly grin on her face.

"How— Why are you here?" Harry asked not daring to blink, for fear that the ghost of his mother would disappear.

"I am here because the Potter family summer home is in existence."

"What's that?" Harry asked bewildered.

"Well, it's been in the Potter family for generations, and it is spelled to appear when summoned either unknowingly or knowingly. It changes to the needs of who is living in it."

"Oh. Today we were going to build a house for me from magic. So instead of a house just appearing, the summer home popped up?" Harry asked, the books in the library beginning to make sense.

"I believe so. How are you doing? I haven't seen you since you battled Voldemort, and it's a little obvious that you won." Lily said proudly.

"I'm fine. I really hate to tell you this, but Sirius fell through a veil in the department of ministry and they think that he's dead."

Lily's face instead of saddening, looked thoughtful for a moment. "A tattered black veil? Hanging in an archway? It sounds like there are voices coming from it?"

"Yes. Why?"

"He's not dead Harry! He just fell through. You can bring him back. It's in my erm... blue journal that is concealed in the copy of _Hogwarts, a History_." Lily shuddered as she mentioned that book.

"What's wrong with _Hogwarts, a History_? My friend Hermione loves that book." Harry said, trying desperately not to laugh.

"It has bad memories attached to it. Lily said as an explanation.

"What sort of memories?" Harry asked. He really wanted to know.

"How badly do you want to know?" Lily asked, teasingly.

"Really bad. Tell!" Harry shouted at his mother's ghost.

"Okay. Well when I broke up with one of my boyfriends, I threw that book at him and well, let's just say that he was in the Hospital wing for a week. I did get back together with him, only to marry James and have you."

"I feel sorry for the poor guy. That book is huge." Harry said.

"I know. That's why I threw it at him." Lily said laughing.

"Oh well I suppose it could have been worse. You could have cursed a bludger to chase after him. I broke my arm in my second year because of that. That was the year that Ginny was possessed by Tom Riddle."

"Ginny Weasley? She was just a baby when we were attacked."

"Yeah, her. Everything turned out okay. Me and Ron, her brother, rescued her. The only mishap was that Ron's wand backfired and Professor Lockhart got hit with a memory charm. He was still in St. Mungo's last Christmas, but they think that he's getting better. I really hope he doesn't."

"Why?"  
"Mainly because he's a fake, but he's really annoying and used me to get higher on the ladder of fame." Harry said.

"Fame?" Lily asked her son, wondering what the hell he was talking about.

"I'm the boy who lived. Only known survivor of the killing curse. All I have to show for it is this blasted scar." Harry said, lifting his fringe and showing his mother the trademark scar. "Thanks mum, Dumbledore said that I survived because you sacrificed yourself for me."

"You're welcome." Lily cleared her throat. "About that scar."

"Yes?"

"Well. I hate to break it to you, but you didn't get that when Voldemort cursed you. You got that right after you were born. It had a concealing charm on it."

"Mum? Why are you telling me this?" Harry asked.

"Because." Here Lily took a deep breath. "James isn't your father."

"Mum? I could have sworn that you just told me that James isn't my father." Harry said. Breathe in. Breathe out. Harry thought.

"Because I did. Technically he's not. He adopted you, but he's not your biological father." Lily said. Thinking that this was going well, that much she could gather from her son's expression.

"Okay then. So what does that have to do with my scar?" Harry asked.

"Well the scar is a visible sign of the fact that your appearance isn't what you think it is. Everything that looks like James on you is Sev's."

"Ummm. Who's Sev?" Harry asked.

"Your father. He was the fifth Marauder, until Peter got him successfully kicked out of the group. Since James and I were betrayed, Sirius wasn't the one to betray us, it was Peter." Lily said, with a touch of hate in her voice.

"I know. He's a Death Eater, you know." Harry said sadly.

"Who? Your father? Peter?" Lily asked sharply.

"Peter. Would you mind telling me who my father is?" Harry asked curiously.

"Why don't I tell you about him. I don't know how you'd react to who your father is." Lily told Harry.

"Um. I'm not sure about that. I have to meet Professor Snape to discuss something." Harry said. "I'm probably late. I'll tell him that I happened upon the ghost of my mother and we had a nice discussion. Do you think that he'd believe that?" Harry asked Lily.

"I'm sure he would. He'd probably want to see me, just to be sure that you're telling the truth." Lily said. "Let me tell you about your father. He's tall and smart. He has dark hair and darker eyes. He was very good at potions and even better at pranks. He and James would often have prank wars. During the prank wars, it was hard to tell if they were even friends or not. Once it went to far. I didn't speak to James for weeks. We had almost lost him to the Dark side then, he was so angry. Of course he did go to the Dark Side, but only to spy for the light." Lily paused to take a breath.

Something clicked in Harry's mind. 'spy for the light.' Hold on... "Severus Snape is my FATHER!?!?!" Harry shouted to his mother, birds bursting into flight at the volume of his voice.

"Oh good, you know who he is, then. That saves a bit of trouble." Lily said cheerfully.

"The greasy git! My father? If I inherited his hair I will kill him after I kill Voldemort." Harry muttered, hoping that his mother wouldn't catch what he was saying. Unfortunately she did.

"His hair isn't that greasy when he washes it daily, and nobody says that you have to kill Voldemort." Lily said, trying to cheer up her son.

"You don't know the prophecy do you?" Harry said bitterly, as it was an annoying thing have your life dictated for you.

"Prophecy?" Lily asked, just a bit confused.

"Yes. Prophecy. The one that Voldemort wanted so he used Sirius to lure me to the Department of Ministry to got it for him. Would you like to hear it?" Harry said, gritting his teeth as he thought of the prophecy.

"Of course I would!" Lily told her son forcefully.

"Okay Mum. It goes something like this. 'The one with the Power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches.... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark lord knows not... and either must die at the had of the other for neither can live while the other survives.... The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies....'" Harry laughed bitterly. (A/N: The prophecy isn't mine, it's J. K. Rowlings. I sort of copyed it word for word. Harry has it memorized because, well, if you heard something dictating your life, wouldn't you remember the exact phrasing?)

"That means you?" Lily said sadly.

"It could be Neville Longbottom, but Voldemort chose me." Harry said.

"I'm so sorry Harry. My poor baby." Lily said and sniffled and rose from her tombstone that she was sitting on and hugged Harry. The effect was like Harry was being dunked in a bucket of ice. It being the first hug he had gotten in quite a long time from his mother, he tried to hug her back.

"Er, Mum? I should really get back. Would you like to come with? Give Professor Snape a shock?"

"He's a Professor?" Lily asked.

"Potions." Harry said as an answer. He got up and began to leave.

"Harry? You have to invite me out of here. I'm bound to the graveyard unless I'm invited out by someone outside the graveyard opens the gate and gives me an oral invitation." Lily said.

"Why?" Harry asked.

"Did you ever pay attention to Professor Binns? Or does he still teach History of Magic? He was awfully old when I went to Hogwarts." Lily said.

"He still does teach History of Magic. Except for he's dead now. It gets quite boring. So I don't really pay attention." Harry said ruefully.

"Well, ghosts are bound to the graveyard that they are buried in so because too many ghosts were haunting people."

Moaning Myrtle came to Harry's mind. "Okay then." Harry left the graveyard and closed the gate after him. "Lily Evans-Potter, I invite you to leave your graveyard and come to my home." Harry said, grinning as he opened the gate. Lily smiled at Harry and floated out of the graveyard.

"Thank you Harry. You have no idea how boring it gets in there. Let's go shock Severus." Lily said, laughing vengefully.

"Okay mum." Harry replied as they walked and glided off towards Harry's home.

Severus looked out of the window. As usual Potter was late. What could he expect from him? He had better have a good excuse for being late. Severus shook his head. He could have sworn that that was Lily's laugh. Lily was dead, and would remain forever so. How he missed his precious flower! Severus sighed. There was a light tap at the door.

"Harry?" Severus asked. Hoping that it was the boy, not wanting to have to go and search for him.

"Yes. May I come in sir?" Harry asked.

"Yes." Severus said, not turning from the window. Hearing Potter, no Harry, come in, he said, "Why don't you have a seat. This may take a while."

Harry seeing that Severus' back was turned, grinned at his mother and motioned for her to follow him in.

Lily smiled softly at Severus' back. She had forgotten how he made her feel. She went over to the bookshelves and found the copy of _Hogwarts a History_. She grabbed it and gave Harry a thumbs up.

Severus began talking. Lily floated up near the ceiling and hovered over Severus.

"Harry. I have something to tell you. It is very difficult for me to tell you, but I must. You cannot tell anyone. It is a very important. Only two living people know this. Your mother and James knew this. Dumbledore and I also know this." Severus stopped for a moment to catch his breath.

"Er... Sir? Why did you say my mother and James?" Harry asked, making it easy for his father.

Severus turned around. "Well, because James isn't your father." Severus said.

Harry just sat there thinking for a moment. His eyes fell on his mother, who had floated down to the floor and was standing/floating just behind Severus.

Lily, seeing that her son was watching her, seized the opportunity. She began making faces.

Harry tried really hard not to laugh. It was worse than when Dudley had showed off his Smeltings' uniform.

Severus, concentrating on the wall behind Harry, didn't notice that Harry was trying very hard not to laugh. So he was completely shocked by Harry's outburst of laughter. "May I ask what is so funny about the situation?" He said dryly.

"Sir, I suggest taking a look behind you." Harry said in-between laughs.

Severus whirled around and was caught by surprise at the sight that met his eyes.

"Hello, Sev." Lily said.

"Lily." Severus said breathlessly, obviously a bit shocked, pausing for a few moments, not sure what to say. "I assume that you told him, as he wasn't as shocked as I thought he would be." Severus said.

"Yeah. I told him. I also told him that Sirus isn't dead." Lily said, just to see the expression on Sev's face.

"What? He's not dead?" Severus spluttered.

"Nope. Just trapped." Lily said gleefully. "And I, having been an unspeakable in my former life, and not being bound by the magical contract, being dead, I can tell you how to rescue him!"

"Lils, are you sure? He would surely kill me, knowing the truth about me and Harry." Severus said worriedly.

Harry looked on in amazement. Could Professor Snape actually be showing emotion? He decided to go to his room and think things over. When Harry got to his room he couldn't decided what to do. It wasn't early enough to go to bed, and Harry wasn't hungry for once. He then remembered the journal that Kevin had given him. He thought that that would help. Getting his feelings out on paper.

Harry's Journal Entry.

Monday. 25 July, 1996

Well, apparently, my father isn't dead. He's just a Death Eater and didn't know of my birth. Which wouldn't be so bad, except for the identity of my father. It's Snape! The greasy git! Wait until Ron finds out. It'll be worse than when he met Draco and realized that he was trying to be on the good side. I think that Hermione will take it all in stride and just tell me to get along with him and be a good boy. After Ron gets over his initial shock (and yelling), he'll probably offer his condolences.

Not only have I found my father, I have found the ghost of my mother. She's really nice, and I think that I like her. I wonder how she and Snape will get along. Even though she's a ghost, it will be nice to have a full time mother, is she stays around that is. Apparently she was an Unspeakable in the DoM, and she knows how to get Sirius out of the veil. I wonder how I'm going to get there. Maybe Ron and Hermione could accompany me. Snape, Dad, Father, WHATEVER, will come too.

I wonder what Sev. wants me to call him. Probably Professor during the school year, (duh) but when we're in private, maybe Father. That sounds too much like Draco. Probably Dad. That's not too bad. What if he doesn't accept me? I am his son, but he's done nothing but treat me badly during classes for the past five years. Why didn't he come and get me from the Dursley's? I wish that I could have gone to live with Sirius all those years ago. Wow. That was only two tears ago, but it seems so long ago.

It just occurred to me! Now that mum's ghost is here, she can testify and get Sirius's name cleared. That is if we can get him out of the veil. I think that I'll go and find that journal that she mentioned.

Harry put his quill down and shut the journal. He looked around the room. So it wasn't the product of their magic, it was just the Potter Family home that they had summoned. Wait. If James wasn't his father, how could this be his? He would have to talk to someone about that. Harry shrugged and finished putting his ink away.

He then padded softly to the library. He could hear voices inside, so he tapped lightly on the door. With Severus' 'Enter" Harry came in.

"Hello Harry." Lily said lovingly.

"Hi, Mum. Hello Professor."

"Hello Harry." Severus said back.

It was still a shock to hear Severus address him by his first name. "Er, Professor, If you are my father, how come this place came when we did the spell?"

"I'm not sure, why don't you ask Lily, she would probably know that." Severus said, looking at the ghost of his former lover fondly.

"Okay then. Mum?" When Lily looked over to him, Harry said, "Same question."

Lily laughed, her son was so much like Severus when he was that age, of course she would never tell him that. "It's all in James' will. He knew that you were Severus' son, but he decided to leave everything to you in case he and I both got killed. James, did that because he knew that Severus didn't know of your true parentage, and with the risks he took, he might get caught anytime. Harry, James loved you very much, he wanted to be sure that you were cared for all your days. I'm just curious, who have you been living with these past years? Moony? Padfoot?"

Harry swallowed. He didn't really want to tell his mother that he had been staying with his aunt. "Er. I. Dumbledore decided that it would be best for me to stay with the Dursley's." Harry said very quickly.

Lily's ghost looked puzzled for a moment. Then realization dawned on her. "He let you stay with my sister!" She shouted. She didn't notice Harry's wince at her outburst, but Severus did.

Severus, having an inkling of how Harry had been treated at his relatives watched Harry's reaction. He looked as if he was going to curl into a ball at any moment.

"My sister! Did he have any idea of their opinions? Her and that nasty man she married! I'm surprised that Harry's lived. I wouldn't be surprised if they had killed him! They feared magic so much. Petunia and I were great friends until I got my letter! She had a little, but she could never do anything. She was insanely jealous." Lily shouted.

"Lily." Severus said quietly. "Lily." He said a bit louder.

Lily's ghost rounded on Severus. "And you! How could you not notice how he was being treated! Surely you had to see something!"

"Lily! Look at him." Severus said fiercely to her. Harry had not only curled up in a ball, but was whimpering softly.

"Oh no. Did I do this?" She asked Severus, who was gently rubbing circles in Harry's back, and murmuring comforting words to Harry, without even realizing he was doing it. (A/N: Aww. How cute. Sev's turning parental.)

"I'm afraid so. Apparently he was abused. You can tell from his reaction to your yelling." Severus said softly.

"I am going to kill Albus when I see him." Lily said.

"Lils, I hate to break it to you, but you're a ghost. I don't know if you could kill Albus. It probably wouldn't be a good idea. Who else would lead us in the war against Voldemort?" Severus said logically.

"Fine then." Lily said, completely forgetting about Harry who was whimpering less. "I am going to the kitchen to gaze longingly at food."

"Okay. Try not to scare Draco when he comes back." Severus said, still rubbing Harry's back to calm him down. (A/N: HA! I bet you all forgot about Draco. I didn't!)

"Who's Draco? Nevermind. I don't want to know." Lily said as she glided through the wall.

Severus continued to murmur comforting nothings to Harry and decided that he would probably be a bit more comfortable over on one of the chairs instead of the floor. He gently picked Harry up and as he was straightening, he caught a glance of the clock over the mantle. It was very close to 9 o'clock. (A/N: Random Fact: O'clock is a contraction for of the clock.) He then thought that Harry might be better off in his own bed. So Severus went to the room that Harry had chosen. As he tucked his son into bed for the first time, Severus looked around the room. It was a nice room. It didn't look too much like Gryffindor tower.

The bed was a plain four poster with curtains that were a dark green. The dark green matched the curtains; only they wee a lighter green. Harry had a window seat also. Only the cushions on his were black and red. The red was almost Gryffindor scarlet, but it was a little less bold. Just as the dark green bed curtains could pass for Slytherin, but they were too dark. In the corner there was a dead branch propped up, and there was a greenish-yellow snake on it. In the other corner, the one that the bed wasn't in, a magnificent oak wardrobe stood. Next to the wardrobe, was a barely visible door. Severus wondered about it for a moment, then he remembered James' tower that he had hidden. There was a password but he couldn't quite remember it...

"Marauders' paid parade!" Severus nearly shouted in excitement. The door glowed for a second. "I'm sure there was more. Oh yeah! Three times fast." Severus went over to the door and said "Marauder's paid parade" three times. He had to try a second time because his tongue got tied. But It didn't work. Severus sighed. "I could have sworn the password was 'Marauder's paid parade three time fast'." To Severus' amazement the door opened. Severus chuckled. It was just like James to make a password like that. As Severus started to go up the stairs another whimper from Harry stopped him. Remembering where he was and the time, Severus decided to go up there tomorrow. He turned and went back to Harry. Harry was just having a bad dream. He hoped it wasn't one of the dreams from Voldemort. Severus absently brushed a lock of hair out of Harry's face. As he was drawing his hand back, Severus just realized what he had done. How could he, the greasy git, the most hated teacher at Hogwarts, be a suitable parent. Especially to Harry Potter? If Voldemort ever found out the truth, he and Harry would be doomed. This would have to remain a secret. Judging from the feelings that he felt for Harry already, it would be hard to keep from shouting to the world that this was his boy and how proud he was of him.

How many wizards could say that they had dueled with Lord Voldemort and come out of it alive? And at only fourteen... At twelve, he killed a basilisk. The year before that, at eleven, he had got the Sorcerer's Stone from Quirrel, who had Voldemort sticking out of his head. Which was all pretty good, considering that Harry had two more years of school left.

Severus then realized that he had been standing over his son with a silly grin in his face for over a minute. He shook his head and went back downstairs to the Library. He realized that it was now nine-thirty and Draco hadn't come back home. He decided to give him until ten, then he would go and look for him. Severus wandered into the kitchen and saw Lily gazing mournfully at the cupboards that surely held food. Severus looked at Lily and grinned at her. She hadn't noticed that he was there. He quietly grabbed two peaches that were on the wooden table in an old fashioned clay bowl.

He wandered out he took a plate from the counter and set one of the peaches on it. As he was eating the first one, he got an idea. It was obvious that Lily wanted something to eat. What would happen if he shot the killing curse at a peach? Severus shrugged and put a shield around him and the peach. 'Avada Kedavra' Severus whispered.

The peach itself exploded, but in it's place next to the stone of the first peach there was a silvery peach. He had done it! Now to give it to Lily. But first to deal with the bits of pulverized peach the covered him and his shield. 'Scourgify'. The mutilated peach chunks disappeared. Severus smiled. He picked up the plate with the shadow of the peach on it, and he carried it into the kitchen. Lily was still staring longingly at the cupboards. Severus set the plate down on the table.

"Lily." Severus said.

"What?" Lily replied, without turning.

"You've got the word!" Severus crowed, laughing like a three year old.

"What?" Lily said, turning around and looking at Severus like he had gone insane.

"The w-h-a-t word. You've got it!" Severus said, shouting gleefully.

"Excuse me sir, but what have you done with out Professor? Could you keep him there, as long as he isn't being tortured?" Draco said, sensing that his head of house was either in a rare good mood or high.

"Draco! So lovely to see you! Have a seat! Would you like something to drink?" Severus said. (A/N: The peach and the Killing Curse had a bad reaction. Sev was in a good mood already and the gas that the blown up peach gave off er... enhanced his mood. I thought it would be funny. Is it?)

"Er. Professor? You're scaring me." Draco said, edging towards the door.

"It's okay Draco, he's scaring me too." Lily said.

"Oh. Who are you?"

"OH. I'm the ghost of Lily Potter." Lily said.

"Harry's mum?" Draco said.

"Yes."

Severus had crept up behind Draco who had stepped forward when Lily had spoken. He now threw an arm around Draco's shoulder. "Have I ever told you about my son?" He asked Draco. (A/N: Think, Jack Sparrow, only not obsessed with rum.)

"Er. No." Draco said trying to wriggle out of Severus' grip.

"Well, just you sit down and listen." Severus shoved Draco into a chair. "Well he's got green eyes, just like his mum. I didn't know that he was mine, mind you. I just found that out a few days ago." Severus said, emphasizing his point by slamming his fist into the table. "He didn't know he's mine either, until only a few hours ago. his mum told him. A very pretty woman his mum was, green eyes, and red hair. Lily her name was."

"She married James though. I didn't spite her that, no siree. She had to. I mean, if she had married me, Lord Voldie would have killed her and me. I didn't want that for her. Nope. So she married James. But Harry was mine. My Lily told Jamesie that Harry was mine and Jamesie adopted Harry and I never found out. They even made Harry look like Jamesie. I wonder what my boy will look like. See over there." Severus pointed a shaky finger at Lily's ghost. "That's my Lily."

"Er. Sir, that's a truly touching story, but I think I've got to get up to bed. Like now."

"Be quiet. Now Lily, I had an idea. I noticed that you were looking like you wanted some food. Apparently if you throw the Killing Curse at a peach, you can make a ghosty-thing out of it. See Lils, looks at it." Sev said pointing. Then he put his head down on the table and began quietly singing the barney song. (A/N:OWned by the ovbiously insane people who own barney. C'mon. they've got to be insane? A big purple dinosaur with green spots? they just screams insane.) "I love you..."

"Sir? What color was the insides of the peach that you threw the killing curse at?" Draco asked suddenly.

'You love me..."

"A most beautiful shade of blue. Why?" Severus asked.

"We're a happy family..."

"Oh." Draco said, suddenly the Professor's behavior made sense. But how could he have picked that up? That prank was for Potter, and only Harry or one of his relations could have picked it up. Something suddenly clicked. "Sir? The story that you were telling me earlier, was it true?" Draco asked.

"With a great big hug..."

"Yep!" Severus said happily, tracing a finger along a scratch on the table.

"And a kiss from you to meeeee.."

Oh well, he should be going to go to sleep any moment now. Draco thought as he watched the Professor. There! Severus slumped over mid-song. (A/N: Thank GOD, I can't stand that song.)

Lily gasped. "What's wrong with him!" She asked Draco in the wild hopes that he might know.

"Oh. Well you see, we were sort of having a prank war, Harry and I, And I got that prank from Fred and George Weasley. The peach was enchanted that only Harry or one of his relations could pick it up. Upon ingesting the peach, it would enhance Harry's current mood. But if he had sliced the peach, it would have given off a gas that would do the same as ingesting, only worse and it would cause him to go to sleep after a while. And it had a small amount of veritaserum in it so it causes him to tell the truth."

"Ah. I hope you do realize that once he figures out what happened he will retaliate." Lily said.

"Yeah, I suppose that I do. Lovely. So if you're Harry's mum and he's Harry's dad." Draco said slowly.

"Yes. I'll admit it. I had sex with Severus Snape. I wasn't a virgin when I got married. I was in fact, pregnant with Severus Snape's child. James, my husband, was okay with that. He married me because Severus couldn't. At one point, Severus and I were engaged. Any other questions?" Lily said, hoping to shock Draco. She succeeded.

Draco's normally pale face was a vibrant shade of red. "Umm. NO." Draco said loudly after a small delay.

"So. Tell me about myself. I'd like to know who my son associates with." Lily said, grabbing the peach and looking at it warily. "Do you think that this is safe to eat?"

"After what it's former self did to Professor Snape? NO." Draco declared.

"Well all he did was shoot the killing curse at it, would you mind doing that to another peach?" Lily asked.

"No. Not at all." Draco said. He summoned another peach and put a small shield around it, one that would allow magic in, but nothing out. 'Avada Kedavra Peach' Draco said. He watched the peach explode and thought that he should have put a plate on it, then he could have ate the resulting mush. Draco banished the mess and looked at the silvery form of a peach that was there in the place of the original peach.

"Thanks." Lily said as she reached for the peach. She bit into it and grinned.

"How is it?" Draco asked her.

"Great. Tastes just like a peach." Lily said in-between bites.

"Would you like anything else?" Draco asked. "I don't know how it would work on liquid though."

"Why don't you try it?" Lily asked, tossing the stone up and catching it absently. "I wonder what would happen if I planted this." She said aloud.

"I don't know. Why don't you try?" Draco said absently. "Where's your wand?"

"In my headstone, why?" Lily asked.

"Well if the killing curse works on food, if we did it on your wand, maybe you could use your wand and do magic. It would be an invincible army of ghost fighting for the light. As long as Voldemort doesn't find out how we did it." Draco trailed off thinking.

"Summon it." Lily said.

"What?" Draco asked, looking around for something to write on.

"Summon my wand." Lily said. "Say '_revenio lilium salix virga_'." (A/N: It's Latin, means something like 'come back Lily willow wand'. Most of my spells are Latin. The other ones are J.K. Rowling's.)

"Okay, are you sure that you want to do this?" Draco cautioned.

"What have I got to lose?" Lily asked Draco. "I'm dead. I have nothing to lose."

"Okay then. Remember, it was your idea to do this." Draco said.

"Just do it!" Lily told Draco. (A/N: I know that that's Nike's catch phrase. At least I think it's Nike's. Anyways, they said I could borrow it. NOT! But it's theirs and I am only borrowing it. OKAY? So Nike: Don't sue me!) Draco shrugged and whispered 'Revenio lilium salix virga' "So Lily, what type of spell is that?" Draco asked her, as they waited for her wand to come.

"It's like a summoning spell, but it will only work if the person saying it has the wand's owner's permission to do so. I think you should open the window." Lily said hearing a far off whistling.

"Okay." Draco said, rising and opening the window. After a few seconds Lily's wand came in the window. It flew around the room once, emitting an eerie whistle and came to a stop on the counter, by Lily who was sitting on there.

"Okay, it's here now, so do it!" Lily snapped at Draco.

"Okay, okay. I'll do it. Happy?" Draco snapped right back at her.

"Not until you do it!" Lily informed Draco.

"Fine!" Draco said and whispered, "Avada Kedavra."

A green flash of light was evident, and Lily's wand didn't explode like the peach, instead, laying next to the real wand was a silvery duplicate. Lily picked up the silvery duplicate and murmured 'avis.' A small bang sounded and a few birds came out of the tip of the wand. One was silvery, but the three others were very real and Draco smiled as one lit upon his finger. The silvery one looked around the room and spotted Lily, it flew over to her and landed one her finger. (A/N: that spell is J.K. Rowling's, but it's also Latin for 'bird'.)

"How do you feel about keeping pet birds?" Lily asked Draco.

"I think that sounds like a good idea." Draco said.

The third bird was perched on Severus' crossed arms and was looking up at his face. Since Severus was waking up, Lily and Draco decided to watch Severus and see how he reacted to falling asleep and if he remembered what he had told Draco.

"Why don't you wake him up Lily?" Draco whispered to Lily.

"How should I wake him up though?" Lily whispered back.

"I wonder if ghostly conjured water would make him wet?" Draco asked Lily.

"Hmmm. Let's find out. First get the bird off of him." Lily told Draco.

Draco nodded and whistled at the bird. It chirped in reply and flew over to his shoulder.

Lily grinned at Draco and incanted loudly 'aqua' What appeared to be a large bucket of water popped into existence directly over Serverus' head. Slowly it began to tilt.

"AUGH! That's cold! What is that!" Severus' eyes fell on Draco. "Do you think it a good idea to pour a bucket of ice cold water over me?"

"No sir. That's why I didn't do it?" Draco replied seriously "Lily did."

"How could Lily have done that?" Severus asked anxiously.

"Apparently, the Killing Curse works on my wand and it made it so I could use it, and it left my original wand intact. I think that it just took the power and shape from my original, leaving the wood and the core intact because when I looked it over, there was almost no power left in it." Lily said.

Severus looked for the wand and Lily pointed to the counter next to the sink. Severus got up and looked it over. He then picked it up and waved it around. A few green and gold sparks came out of the tip, but they faded almost instantly. "Yes, there is almost no power in it at all. Now that we have got the issue of who woke me up cleared, let's work on the issue of who put me to sleep."

"Sir? How much do you remember?" Draco asked timidly, stroking his bird.

It was obvious that Severus was thinking back because of how his expressions changed. Draco watched his face, and hoped that Severus wouldn't be too mad because he had inadvertently told Draco that Harry was his son. "Did I tell you—?" Severus asked in a choked voice.

"Tell me that Harry is your son? Yes. I am quite happy too. Let's celebrate." Draco said simply.

"Let's celebrate! I accidentally let you in on an important secret and all you say is 'Let's Celebrate'? Have you any idea what time it is?" Severus snapped.

Draco quickly shut his mouth mid-yawn and said, "Time for me to go to bed?"

Severus nodded. "Correct-a-mundo, now go to bed!" (A/N: after effects of the peach. Wouls Sve normally say correct-a-mundo???)

"I'm going!" Draco said as he left the kitchen and headed for the stairs.

Severus and Lily talked for the rest of the night, and were still up when Harry came down the next morning eat something for breakfast.

"Morning mum, Morning Dad."

"Morning Harry. Did you sleep well?" Lily asked.

"Yes I did. I had a few nightmares, but they weren't that bad." Harry replied honestly.

"Any nightmares from Lord Voldemort?" Severus asked calmly, completely forgetting that Lily didn't know about the dreams.

"What nightmares?" Lily said in a tone that would have froze fire.

"Oh. Well, Mum, apparently when Voldemort cursed me, I got some of his powers, and I can pick up some of his thoughts or moods." Harry said matter-of-factly.

"What sort of powers?" Lily asked.

Harry gulped audibly. Most wizards regarded being a Parselmouth as an evil trait. "Mum, well, all we know of is the fact that I am a Parselmouth. Which isn't so bad, as it saved the life of Ginny Weasley in my second year.

"What do you mean by 'save the life of'?" Lily asked suspiciously.

"Well apparently Tom Riddle wrote a diary when he was at Hogwarts. Lucius Malfoy slipped it into one of Ginny's books, she wrote in it and he wrote back. Eventually he was controlling her and finally, at the end of the year he took her into the Chamber of Secrets, the hidden chamber Slythrein built."

"So there was a secret chamber. It was only a legend when I went to school. Where was the entrance?"

"Do you recall a ghost called Moaning Myrtle?"

"Yeah. She haunted a first floor girl's toilet."

"Apparently, the first time the chamber was opened, when Tom first went to school, he was the one who opened it, not Hagrid. But that's another story. Yeah, well, Myrtle, was the girl that was killed. Because the monster was a Basilisk, I had been hearing it going through the castle in the pipes. Hermione realized what the monster was, and she checked it out in the library and when she saw someone, she told them to look around corners with mirrors, so if the Basilisk was around the corner, you wouldn't be killed by it's gaze, only Petrified. So that year, Hermione aided in the saving of Ron's sister, she saved Percy's girlfriend as well. I don't know about you, but I am a tad on the hungry side and I need to eat before I have to leave for work. How'd you sleep, Professor?" Harry asked.

"I didn't. Me and your mum stayed up all night talking. You called me Dad earlier. I rather liked that." Severus admitted quietly. "It's okay. Draco found out. Apparently I blew up a prank meant for you." At Harry's questioning gaze, Severus replied in his best greasy git voice, "You do not want to know. I believe that you came down here for breakfast Mr. Potter."

"Yes, Professor," Harry said, playing along, "I believe I did, so I will make myself my own breakfast, especially since I don't trust you with my food." Harry replied, imitating Severus' voice.

"And why would that be Mr. Potter?" Severus asked.

"Something about 'you might just find that my hand slips right over your evening pumpkin juice.' So I shall make my own food." Harry said.

"Oh that. I never did that. Although I am aware that Umbridge tried to dose you with it." Severus said quietly, trying to get Harry to tell him what had happened.

"Yeah she did. But one of those horrible cats she had behind her desk had eyes just like Moody. Reminded me of his favorite saying. 'CONSTANT VIGILANCE' So I didn't drink anything she gave me." Harry said quietly.

"Good." Severus replied. "Now since you came down here for breakfast, why don't you do that."

"I shall." Harry said, rising from the table where he had sat down. He moved over to the cupboard and pulled out a box of one-minute oatmeal. "This looks good." Harry muttered. He began to prepare to make it and he got out a small saucepan. Harry made enough oatmeal for himself and Draco. Harry then got a small bowl out of the cupboard, he noticed that it had the Potter coat of arms on it. Harry then filled the bowl about ¾ full.

When Lily noticed it, she decided that it wasn't nearly enough for a growing boy. "Shouldn't you be eating more?" She asked suspiciously.

"This is all I need." Harry said around a mouthful of oatmeal.

"What do you mean 'this is all I need'?" Lily said, glaring at Harry.

"Up until a few weeks ago, I lived with the Dursley's during the summer holidays and before I went to Hogwarts. Vernon and Petunia didn't really like magic, so Vernon decided that I was barely worth the food it took to keep me alive. So, consequentially, they rarely fed me." Harry said, eating his oatmeal a it faster.

"They didn't feed you?" Lily said. Harry nodded. "I am going to curse Albus Dumbledore from here to Hell and back again. When I see him—" Lily said, still going on about what she was going to do to Dumbledore when she saw him. Harry looked at the clock and realized that he was late for work.

"I'm late. Gotta go, bye." Harry said quickly as he left the kitchen.

Harry ran out of the kitchen and realized that if he would have to run if he wanted to get to work in time. He spotted the bicycle that Mrs. Weasley had brought back, and he grinned. He could ride the bicycle there and he would be able to make it to work in time. Harry grinned, and got on to the bike and pedaled off furiously.

"Well at least they didn't hit him." Lily grumbled.

Severus remained silent. Unfortunately, Lily noticed Severus' silence.

"Did they hit him? She asked dangerously.

"I'm not so sure, Severus said slowly, calculating the best way to break the news to Lily.

"They did didn't they?" She said sadly.

"Well, about a week ago I came here, I was getting the pond weed for Remus' potion, and I found Harry bathing in a pond. He was floating on his back, and when I made my presence known, he tried to sit up, that didn't work. He tried to keep me from noticing his back, but the pile of bloody bandages and the fact the his back looked like it had been chewed up by a wolverine, it was pretty hard not to notice.

"The strangest thing was that the bandages were magical in origin. Can you explain that Lily?" Severus asked curiously.

"Oh, Apparently the Evans family was distantly related to the Malfoy family. Our mother inherited a wand and some other things when some distant relative died. I already had a wand at the time, Petunia got the wand and I got most of the other stuff. Petunia had a little magical ability, but not enough to go to Hogwarts. During the summer, when we were still friends, I taught her some spells, and let her looks at some books that I had got for her. I believe one of them was a healing book. She later returned them to me, but it seems that she remembered them and she used at least one on Harry." Lily said.

"Oh. That's interesting." Severus said through a yawn. "I think that I am going to try and get some sleep. Try and get Draco up before noon, if it's possible." The tired potions master said as he left the kitchen.

Lily decided to pass the time by conjuring things and seeing how they ended up. The birds from the night before had been three regular ones and one spirit one. Lily decided to conjure some dirt. It was ghosty in appearance. Lily smiled. Now to conjure a pot that would magically expand with the plant in it so it was never root-bound, but the pot stayed the same size. Lily waved her wand and a familiar looking clay pot appeared. The only difference, was that it was silver in color instead of the familiar clay color. Lily directed the dirt into the pot with her wand and put it in the pot. Then she reached over and put the peach stone in the pot. Then she dumped some ghostly water on top of it. "Now all I have to do is wait and see if it will grow."

"See if what will grow?" A sleepy voice queried from the doorway.

"The stone from the peach you 'killed' last night." Lily said, motioning to the clay pot the was filled with ghostly dirt.

"You have no idea how strange that is too see, especially the little bits of dirt that are left one the floor." Draco said.

"Good point, why don't you sweep them up" Lily said, grinning. "While you do that I'm going to write a letter to Albus."

"Um. How?"

"How am I going to write to Albus?" Lily said.

"Yeah." Draco said.

"Simple, I shall just conjure a few sheets of parchment and a quill with some ink." Lily said, and immediately did so. She smiled at Draco and dipped her quill into the inkwell. "Now you get to sweeping up that mess."

Albus-

Do you have any idea of how my sister and her good-for-naught husband treated my son? Why did you let him stay there? What was wrong with Sirius? Or even Remus? Not to mention Harry's father. Did you forget about the letter that James and I gave you to read in case of our deaths? Of course I wonder if you will even be able to read this letter. Get a ghost to help you. I would have sooner put Harry in care of Peter than my sister. Did you ever realize how they would treat him? Obviously not, I will be getting back to you, and you better watch your back.

Lily Evans-Potter

Lily looked the letter over and decided that it was nearly satisfactory, except for one thing.

PS- Please put the killing curse on some fruit for Albesco. Thanks. She likes peaches.

There, that should have Albus pleasantly confused. "Draco, how's the sweeping coming along?" Lily said happily.

"Not at all, the damn broom won't pick it up." Draco grunted.

"Did you ever think that you might need a ghostly broom?" Lily smirked at Draco.

He smirked right back. "No but now that you tell me, I shall do it that way. This would drive Filch crazy." Draco said, he was already thinking how he would do it.

"That it would. Draco, would you mind writing a letter to Dumbledore, that says, Nearly Headless Nick might be able to help?" Lily asked.

"Not at all. Why though?" Just because, well, you try and open my letter." Lily said, handing Draco the letter.

It floated through Draco's hand and landed on the floor. "I see your point. How will he be able to read it?"

"See if I open it for you and lay it on the table, you can read it, see?" Lily said as she did what she had told Draco.

"I see your point. By the gist of this letter, it coming from you, I would be scared. Is that what you meant for it to do?"

"Yep. I am particularly angry with Albus for putting my son where he could have been killed." Lily said.

"You do realize that he could have died any of his years at Hogwarts too?" Draco said.

"No. Please explain further."

"Well, first year there was Quirrel and the stone, second year there was the chamber of secrets. Third there was the whole out on the grounds with Professor Lupin who hadn't had his potion, fourth year there was the Tri-wizard Tournament, and fifth year was mainly looking out for Umbridge and getting visions from He-who-must not be named, and sneaking off to the Ministry of Magic to rescue Sirius Black. Not to mention forming and illegal Defense Against The Dark Arts Group. He called it Dumbledore's Army, which got Dumbledore in trouble with the ministry. That about sums it all up." Draco said.

"Ah. Now would you just write the letter?" Lily asked Draco.

"Sure. What are you going to send yours with?" Draco questioned Lily.  
"I'm going to get Albesco to take it. I've also instructed him to put the killing curse on some fruit for her, but I neglected to tell him about the shield part, so he should have exploded peach all over his office." Lily said with an evil smirk on her face.

"Okay then, remind me to never get on your bad side." Draco said, in mock surrender.

"Good, I've put you in your proper place. Now write!" Lily snapped, she conjured a ghostly whip, and snapped it over Draco's head.

"I feel sorry for Potter. I'd hate to be stuck with you for he rest of my life." Draco muttered.

"You think I'm being mean?" She asked. "You haven't seen anything yet!" Lily said. Now are you going to get that letter done or not?"

Draco left the room and went to the library. From a desk he pulled a sheet of parchment and a ever-inked quill out of a drawer.

Professor Dumbledore-

Nearly Headless Nick might be able to help. Just a suggestion.

DM

Draco carried the note out to Lily. "How's this: Nearly Headless Nick might be able to help. Just a suggestion."

"Perfect. Now let's see if your bird will carry a message. Why don't you whistle for your bird." Lily said.

"You're very perceptive." Draco said before he whistled. His bird came on the kitchen and lighted on his shoulder. Draco whistled to her. She bird chirped back. "She says that they'd be more than happy to carry our messages."

"'Kay then." Lily picked up her letter and handed it to the bird, Albesco gripped it in one of her feet, and waited for Draco's bird to get his letter. Draco handed it to her and she and Albesco flew off.

"Lily, I don't know how you feel, but I am hungry." Draco said.

"Oh yeah, Harry made some oatmeal for you. He didn't do anything to it though, I watched him make it." Lily told him.

"Are you sure that he didn't do anything to it?" Draco said suspiciously.

"It's your turn to prank him, isn't it? Unless you take too long and he does it." Lily said matter-of-factly. "Now I am going to go and look and see if I can find the right spot in my notes."

"What for?" Draco asked.

"Nothing real important, just a rescue mission." Lily said as she floated out through the wall.

"Ugh! How did they put up with her?" Draco asked himself as he got some oatmeal and prepared it to his tastes.

At Hogwarts

Nearly Headless Nick was quietly floating on his belly studying the pattern of the floor when two birds whizzed under him. Which would have been perfectly normal if they had been owls, but they weren't. To top it all of, one of them appeared to be a ghost. Wondering where they were going, Nick flipped over and followed them. They appeared to be heading for Dumbledore's office. This was getting interesting.

By the time he caught up with the birds, the live one was sitting on a portrait frame looking perplexed. The other one was sitting next to it. It looked at the door at tried to fly through it again. The stone gargoyle caught it and placed it back on the frame.

Nick smiled inwardly, apparently Dumbledore had wards against ghosts on his door. Nick knew the password. "Acid Pops." The gargoyle then jumped out of the way and Nick motioned to the birds and they flew in ahead of him. He then got to Dumbledore's office and stick his head through the door. Good, Dumbledore was at his desk.

"Hello, Nick. Why don't you come in?" Dumbledore asked pleasantly.

"Sure, but could you please open the door?" He asked.

"Why?" Dumbledore asked curiously.

"You'll see." Nick said.

Dumbledore rose from his desk and Nick pulled his head from the door. After a few moments, the door opened. The two birds flew over to Dumbledore's desk and dropped the letters there. "I saw these two birds and they seemed to be heading for your office, so I followed them. What interested me the most was that one of them seems to be a ghost."

"Yes it does." Dumbledore prodded at Albesco and his finger went through her. Albesco shook her head and flew over to Nick and perched on his shoulder. "Oh look they brought a letter. Two letters. Let's see what they have to say." Dumbledore picked up Draco's letter first. "Hmm."

"What's it say, if you don't mind me asking?" Nick asked Dumbledore.

"It says you might be able to help. With what I don't know. Maybe it says in the second letter." Dumbledore tried to pick up the second letter and failed. "Oh I get it! Nick, would you mind opening the letter and setting it on the desk so I can read it?"

"Not at all sir." Nick said as he opened the letter and put it in front of Dumbledore.

Dumbledore read through the letter. "I'm doomed. Lily Potter is back from the grave and she's mad at me." Dumbledore informed Nick.

"Yes I can see how you'd look at it that way, Having Lily mad at you is a bad thing."

"There's a PS, but it doesn't make any sense." Dumbledore said, sounding thoughtful.

"What does it say?" Nick asked.

"It says, put the killing curse on some fruit for Albesco. Thanks. She likes peaches. It doesn't make any sense. Who is Albesco?" Dumbledore asked Nick.

"I have no idea. Just try it." Nick urged Professor Dumbledore.

"Fine." Dumbledore said. He conjured a peach and shrugged. "Here goes, 'Avada Kedavra'." To Dumbledore's surprise, the peach exploded. He got hit square in the eye with a chunk of peach. "I am not going to do that again." Dumbledore said firmly as he wiped peach off of his face. He failed to notice the ghost of the peach sitting on his desk.

Albesco did though. With a happy whistle she flew from Nick's shoulder to the peach on Dumbledore's desk. Nick had followed her line of flight and was shocked to see a silvery peach that the bird was eating. Nick went over to the bird and whistled at it. 'How does that taste?'

'Good.' Albesco replied.

'Can I have some? I haven't eaten in over 500 years?'

'Take half.' Albesco chirped back.

'Okay.' Nick said and grabbed the peach and twisted it in half. He took a big bite of it. "Yum. My first food in over 500 years. It's so good."

"So that's the effect that the killing curse has on food?" Albus asked Nick, trying not to laugh at the expression of pure ecstasy on Nicks face.

Nick swallowed. "Apparently. That was good. Would you mind doing that to some more food? I like to take something to Moaning Myrtle. It would cheer her up."

"Okay. Do you want the stone?" Dumbledore asked.

"Er, no not really. Why don't you figure out some way to plant it? It might make a tree." Nick said.

"Yes. I suppose that Professor Sprout would be glad to assist you with that." Dumbledore said.

"Assist?" Nick asked.

"How is she going to pick it up?" Dumbledore stated the obvious.

In Town

Draco was on his break from the café. It was a hot job, especially in the back, making the pastries. He had seen the help wanted sign and talked to the manager and had explained the he was a wizard and he didn't really know much about muggle appliances. She had counted that she was a witch and would be glad to show Draco how the stuff worked if Draco had wanted the job.

"'Ello, I'll have an iced mocha and one of those pastries, please." A woman said from in front of the counter. Her voice sounded strangely familiar.

"Yes ma'am, would that be all?" Draco said pleasantly, rising from getting a cup from under the counter.

"Yes that would be all. I'll be eating it here, so I'll need a plate."

"Madam Pomfrey?" Draco asked slowly.

"Yes, that'd be me." She said, finally looking up from her purse. "Draco Malfoy! What are you doing here?"

"Working ma'am." Draco said. I'd think that was obvious. He added in his head.

"It's ever so nice to see you out of the infirmary, I said the same to Harry Potter, he's working next door you know." Madam Pomfrey said. "Now don't be getting hurt, 'cause I'm not here to tend to you." The witch said with a smile.

"I'll be sure to be careful. Here's your iced mocha and your pastry. I hope you enjoy it!" Draco said brightly, and smiled at her, just like he had been told.

"I'll be sure to enjoy this." Pomfrey replied, taking her food over to a table.

Draco returned to deciding whose job was better, his or Harry's. Harry made thirty pounds and six galleons a week and got weekends off. (A/N: Kevin and Cat gave Harry a raise after the first week, the ten pounds and one galleon was just a trial rate.)

Draco made four pounds an hour, and worked five hours a day, four days a week. He had Wednesdays and weekends off and made about eighty pounds a week. Draco supposed that they were about even, but Draco preferred his job.

Still in Town, at The Grocer's

"See now, that wasn't so bad. I told you that after a while they'd just say hi and do their business." Cat told Harry. "Be glad they don't do this." Cat reached down to Harry, who was scrubbing a bottom shelf, and pinched his cheek and said, "You're such a cutie, and you're getting so big! Your mother must be proud."

"So glad they don't do that." Harry said, scrubbing the shelves even faster. "And Cat?" He called to her as she was walking back towards the front counter. "Don't you ever do that again!"

"Do what?" Cat said, trying to sound innocent.

"You know what." Harry told her.

"What'd she do?" Kevin asked from the back. "Did she do that thing where she pretends to flirt with you, and when you flirt back, gets all offended?"

"No but thanks for the heads up!" Harry said. "She did the 'be glad they don't do this' and pinches your cheek' thing."

"You have my deepest apologies Harry, I won't let her have any ice cream tonight for punishment. How's that sound?" Kevin asked Harry.

"Sounds a little harsh." Harry said thoughtfully.

"You bet that's harsh. Kevin, if you don't want to find out what it feels like to sleep on the couch for the rest of the month and put outside for the werewolves at full moon, I suggest you stop!" Cat snapped from the counter.

"Ouch. I think it would be a good idea to stop when we're ahead." Harry said.

"You two are not ahead!" Cat informed them.

"Really? I could have sworn we were." Kevin said.

"Yeah. I was sure that we were ahead." Harry chimed in.

"Nope. You two sorry excuses for men were never ahead." Cat said triumphantly.

"Ahem. Whether or not you were ahead, I was told that I could find a few things here that I will be needing for teaching next term." Yet another voice from yet another doorway made itself known.

"Oh. Hello, it's been a while since I've seen you." Cat said, emphasizing the you.

"Excuse me, Cat, I think I'll help the man, you can go and supervise the help." Kevin said sharply.

Cat laughed. "Oh Kevin, he's just an old flame from my school days. I'd never leave you. It's just fun to flirt." Cat said, sitting on the counter. She pulled Kevin over from where he was standing and kissed him passionately. Kevin pulled her closer, and picked Cat up. He then carried her towards the back room. "Harry, your customer." Cat said, just before the door slammed.

"Are they normally like that?" The customer asked.

"Yes." Harry replied, still hidden by the shelves. "They're not going to do _anything_, they're just going to laugh about how they made you think that they were going to do something, and do a little inventorying while they are back there. They like to do that to shock new customers. I'll help you as soon as I get through with this shelf. What are you here for anyways?" Harry asked.

"I'm taking the Defense position at Hogwarts again. I just need a few things then I'll be off to the woods to catch some creatures." The mystery person said. (A/N: I'll bet you already know who it is. Let's count off the Hogwarts professors. Quirrel- Dead. Lockhart-insane(wasn't he already insane, tho?) Lupin-still alive and working for the order Mad-Eye Moody- see lupin Umridge-ummm... hopefully dead and/or trapped in Azkaban.)

Harry though for a moment, that's why the voice sounded familiar. (A/N: Aftereffects of Vernon knocking Harry around. Harry has slight memory loss.) "Would you be Professor Lupin?" Harry asked hesitantly.

"Yep, that's me." Lupin replied.

"I don't mean to be rude, but how'd you get the job back after the accident that happened last time you taught?" Harry asked.

"I don't mean to be rude, but who are you that I should be telling you this sort of thing." Lupin said warily.

"Oh. How careless of me, Draco said that my voice had changed, bit I didn't realize that it had changed so much that you wouldn't recognize me." Harry said as he stood up. He winced from being crouched over for so long. Harry stretched and turned around. "Hello Professor. It's been a while since I've seen you."

"Harry! How are you? More to the point, what are you doing here? As it's not the school year, please call me Remus. Professor sounds old." Lupin asked.

"Okay. As to what I'm doing here, I'd thought that that would have been obvious. Working." Harry said.

"Ah, that makes sense. I need a few things. A tank for a Grindylow, some fish eggs preferably ones that will hatch, and some Jarvey food. That's all I need. Hagrid recommended me to here." Lupin said conversationally.

"Sounds good. Have you any idea of what Hagrid's got in store for us?" Harry asked while rummaging for Lupin's things. "Some forewarning would be useful."

"I know that he was trying to get a Lethifold, but Dumbledore, thankfully pointed out that only you were able to perform a decent Patronus."

"Actually, Hermione and Cho Chang, can both do a Patronus. That was what they were doing in the last ever DA meeting." Harry said.

"Well, we'll just keep that our little secret. Hagrid said something about a Hogwarts tab?" Lupin asked uncertainly.

"Yeah. If you're in Hogwarts employ, and if what you're buying is for teaching, you can charge it to the tab, and the bill is sent to Dumbledore and he pays it out of a fund or something like that." Harry told Lupin. "I'm off in a few minutes, would you like to come to my place and have dinner?"

"Sure. That would be lovely. But what about my purchases?" Lupin asked.

"Here, I'll get you an enchanted bag. You can put nearly an unlimited amount of things in here, you're only limited by how much you can purchase, and once it's full of what you're putting in it, all you do is say shrink, and it shrinks enough to fit in your pocket." Harry said.

"That's a very convincing offer. How much does it cost?" Lupin asked.

"With purchases over twenty-five galleons, it's free. I believe that your total comes in at just twenty-five galleons and three knuts." Harry said.

"I'll take the bag. Happy?" Lupin asked.

"Yep." Harry said happily. Harry looked at his new watch that he had got earlier, and said, "I'm off now, so I'll go and tell them that I am leaving and they are in charge of the shop."

"Okay." Lupin said.

Harry went to the back room and knocked on the door. "If you two don't mind me interrupting your making-out session, I am leaving. That means that you will have to separate yourselves from each other for just four more hours until closing time." Harry said. He looked at Lupin and put a finger over his lips, waiting for Cat's reply.

"We were NOT making out. We were inventorying. You know that Harry." Cat said indignantly.

"Yeah I do, but Remus didn't." Harry informed them. "Hurry, Let's leave before she gets really mad." Harry said.

"HARRY POTTER, DON'T YOU DARE LEAVE!" Cat shouted at Harry.

"Bye Cat! See you tomorrow." Harry said before shutting the door, and waving at Cat through the glass when she came out of the back room. Harry walked quickly down the street, urging Remus to hurry.

Cat stuck her head out of the door.

"I know what you're going to say, Cat so don't bother!" Harry shouted to her from a few shops down.

"Yeah right!" Cat shouted.

"Yes I do!" Harry shouted right back.

"Payback's a bitch!" Cat yelled at Harry and Harry yelled it right along with her.

"Told you!" Harry yelled. "She won't be able to say anything else that's we'll hear; the neighbors have just hit her with about five silencing charms." Harry said knowingly.

"Do you do this often?" Lupin asked.

"Every day." Harry said smugly. "Here let's go in here, they have the best smoothies. I'll buy you one."

"Okay then, if you don't mind." Lupin said.

"They don't take wizarding money, so unless you happen to have muggle money, you're stuck with me paying." Harry told Lupin.

"Fine." Lupin said.

"Hey Harry! I never thought that I'd see you here!" Draco said. "I'm just getting of work here, do you mind if I join you when I'm done?"

"Not at all, but you have to promise to be nice to Remus." Harry said.

"I can do that." Draco said. "What'll you two be having?"

"I'm thinking, maybe three medium smoothies. One strawberry banana, one—"

"Raspberry." Lupin filled in.

"And one for you." Harry said.

Okay then, three medium smoothies, one strawberry-banana, one raspberry, and one citrus smoothie. Would that be all?" Draco asked with a smile.

"Yes."

"Your total is," Draco paused while ringing their order up, "Ten pounds and thirty p."

Harry nodded and got the amount of money out of his wallet. "Here you go."

"Thank you, Harry, your order will be ready in a few moments, you will be able to pick it up at the end of the counter."

"Okay then. We'll just go and sit at a table and get them when they are ready. How does that sound?" Harry asked Draco.

"That sounds great. You are number one eighty five then." Draco said. As Harry and Remus walked over to an empty table, Draco turned and began preparing their smoothies.

"Harry, I thought that you and Draco hated each other." Lupin said quietly to Harry.

"We did. That was before his father kicked him out and he ended up living with me." Harry said quietly.

"But what about your family?" Lupin asked.

"Do you mean the people the abused me and left me in the woods to fend for myself?" Harry asked.

"I mean your aunt and uncle." Lupin asked.

"No you meant the Dursleys, or the people who abused me and left me in the woods. They are not my family."

Lupin was shocked by this revelation. "Okay then. So the Dursley's ditched you?" Lupin asked to confirm Harry's statement.

"Yep. I'm glad to be rid of them. You'll never guess where they ditched me."

"Okay, since I'll never guess why don't you tell me?"

"Marauder's' wood. Sound familiar?" Harry asked, betting that Lupin had took a portkey here and had no idea of where he was.

"Yeah. That's where we did our..." Lupin's voice trailed off as he realized where he must be. "You mean I'm in...?"

"If you think that you are in Godric's Hollow, then you are correct." Harry said. "You probably didn't recognize where you are because after Voldemort attacked here, he blew up half the town. So most of this is new." Harry said.

"Harry, are you okay living where your parents died?" Lupin asked Harry with genuine concern on his face.

"Yes, I'm fine." Harry said. "Oh, It looks like our drinks are done."

Draco was bringing the tray with their smoothies on it over, "The manager noticed that you guys knew me and that you had bought me a smoothie so she let me off early." Draco said as he set the tray down.

"Really?" Harry said, arching a brow.

Draco laughed. "You have no idea how much you look like—" Draco quit speaking because Harry had just kicked him under the table. "What? He can be trusted."

"Yeah, but now is not the time nor the place. Do you know if the people around us can be trusted?" Harry asked Draco, knowing that he had been about to say something like 'your father when you do that.'

"That I can be trusted with what?" Remus asked curiously.

"Oh, nothing really important. We just found out that I was related to someone, but I want to tell you away from prying ears." Harry said, looking pointedly at the manager who had been wiping down the table near them for the last minute. Harry said to her, "I'm sure that the poor table is clean by now."

"Oh! Sorry, but aren't you—"

"Harry Potter?" Harry filled in dryly.

"Yes." She said eagerly.

"That would be me, and I've been in here quite a bit for the past few days and I rather enjoy your smoothies, but I am trying to have a chat with my friends, so if you would like to talk, I'll be in here tomorrow at the same time, so I'm sure we can chat then if you must."

"Oh. Yes, that would be great. But, could I have your autograph? My sister will never believe—" She said eagerly, not at all put off by Harry's manner.

"Tomorrow." Harry said firmly.

"Okay." She said and hurried off to tend the counter.

"I really hate to rush you guys, but could you hurry with your drinks so we can get out of here? She really bugs me." Harry said.

"Of course Harry, she bugs me to. Try having to put up with her for five hours!" Draco said. "She kept flirting with me. Wouldn't take no for an answer."

"You have my sympathies, Draco. Remus, are you finished?" (A/N: I think it's quite clear who is speaking here, so must I put the name?) Harry said.

"Yep, I'm done too, she bothered me, with her frequent glances over towards out table." Remus agreed.

"Come on, Let's go back to my house. You'll never guess who's there." Harry said.

"Since I won't guess why don't you tell me?" Remus countered.

"Nope. Harry can't tell you. Neither will I, you either have to guess, or wait until we get there." Draco said.

"Well I suppose that I will just have to wait until we get there." Lupin said mournfully.

"I don't know if they will even be there. When I came down in the middle of the night to get something to eat, they were talking about going to the Ministry of Magic to reclaim something. When I opened the door they changed the subject and wouldn't tell me anything." Draco said.

"Oh. If they went they might be back by now. If they're no, Oh well. I invited Remus over for dinner, I hope you don't mind Draco." Harry said.

"No, not at all. I'd like to make amends for what I've done in the past and make new acquaintances. This is a good start." Draco said loftily.

"Harry, has Draco gone insane?" Lupin asked Harry quietly.

"I'm not sure, just a minute, I'll ask him. Hey Draco! Have you gone insane?" Harry asked Draco.

Draco appeared thoughtful for a moment. "I don't think so. But if I find out that I have, I'll let you know. How's that sound?" Draco asked.

"Thanks." Harry said to Draco. He then turned to Remus. "How's that?"

Remus shook his head and muttered something about 'today's kids', and 'back when we were kids'.

"Oh hush. We're almost there." Harry said.

"We are?" Lupin asked.

"Yes we are." Harry said as the ten-foot stone wall that surrounded the house came into view. "See, it's right over there." Harry said, pointing at the wall.

"Nice wall." Remus said, trying not to laugh.

"You laugh now, but when you see the magnificence of the house you will not laugh." Harry said grandly.

"Harry, could we hurry the pace up a bit, we're still five minutes from the house and it's starting to rain." Draco said. True to his word, fat drops began to fall.

"Okay. Just a second." Harry said, suppressing a shiver from the wards. "We've just passed the wards. Now I can do this." Harry waved his hand and a large umbrella appeared over them. "How's that?" He asked triumphantly.

"Lovely." Draco commented.

"Harry? How'd you do that?" Lupin asked nervously.

"Oh! Awhile ago, I discovered that I had an affinity for wandless magic. To get the umbrella effect, I just concentrated on something to keep up dry, and this is what happened." Harry explained

"I suppose that that makes some sort of sense. How much farther? I'm getting tired." Lupin said wearily.

"It's just around the next bend." Harry told Remus. "I'm sure that you'll love the place. It has quite a few things. All it lacks is a pool, but the pond is close by."

"So you are under the impression that you have heaven in your own home." Lupin said.

"Well, the whirlpool bathtub in my bathroom seems like heaven, but I'm not sure about that. It was certainly relaxing this morning when I woke from a bad dream." Harry said.

"What sort of dream?" Lupin asked sharply. "Was it one of the dreams from you-know-who?"

"Nope, just a regular nightmare. I'll be fine." Harry said.

"Wow. It is a lovely place, once you get past the foot and a half thick walls." Lupin said.

"Wait until you see the TV room downstairs!" Draco said eagerly. "Why don't I show it to you?"

Lupin had to oblige, and go downstairs with Draco.

"I'll be down in a moment, I've got a few things to take care of." Harry said.

"Okay then." Draco said. "C'mon, you've just got to see the size of the telly!"

Harry smiled, think how jealous Dudley would be of him right now. Harry had his own home, worked because he wanted to, had a father who was visiting, and Harry had a huge telly. Things were definitely looking up.

Putting the things he had got at the grocers away, Harry made himself a sandwich, and carried it up to his room with the toiletries that he had purchased on the sly the morning. Sitting at his desk, looking out the window, Harry slowly ate his sandwich. Feeling tired, as it had been a long day, Harry decided that it wouldn't hurt to lie down for a few moments. Unfortunately, Harry fell asleep.

Realizing that Harry hadn't come down and it had been more than a moment, Remus asked Draco f he had any idea what was taking Harry so long.

"He might be hiding in his room. Lately he's just been sitting there thinking, for hours and not noticing time going by. (A/N: I do that when I'm writing.) He's probably up in his room." Draco said.

"Okay." Remus replied.

Draco, seeing the Remus was worried about Harry asked him, "Would you feel better if we went up and checked on him?"

"As silly as it seems, yes." Remus said.

"I understand, when I was watching my cousins during the holidays, when they were taking naps or off by themselves, I was worried sick about them until I knew that they were fine. My mother said that it was parental instinct and I should be proud of it, not ashamed." Draco said quietly. "Come on, I'll show you the rest of the house while we check on Harry."

"Okay." Remus replied, one thing, the boy knew how to help you and not make you feel stupid in the process. Which was overall a good thing. The boy could be an asset for the light. Why did he refuse the mark? One would think, from The boy's actions at school, that he would be more than happy to join the Death Eaters. These were things to ponder before going to sleep. Little did he know, Remus Lupin wouldn't be getting much sleep that night.

A/N2: Dear god, this is long. I do believe that I said I'd have it up by Saturday, but my darling sister beat me to the computer and was on for around ten hours, and since school starts in a few weeks, I am trying to get back on a normal sleep-wake schedule, instead of my go to bed at 7 am, and wake up around five pm. That's my dad's idea. So next chapter not for a while ;cause it's nowhere hear finished and i have the whole get ready to go back to school, and why did i sign up for pe and marine biology and english in the same semester???? I'll try and make the next chapter long too if you guys like the legnth of this one. I'll quit rambling now.

Next Chapter: so far, just a visit from a cute little puppy-dog who resembles a grim. Any guesses?

A/N: There! I finally created a good stopping point. I don't know, should I go on? This chapter is 28 pages long in word. Especially since it's nearly four a.m., I think that I'll go to bed and sometime tomorrow afternoon, I'll see what I can do with this. Yes a long chapter. A sort of cliffy too. I'm so evil, to give you a cliffy after 28 pages. Well, it's not really a cliffy, it's more of a why-isn't-Remus-going-to-get-much-sleep ending. BTW- how'd you like the whole bringing Lily back as a ghost thingy?


	12. Lions, Tigers, and Wolves?

A/N: Not mine, don't sue, and this is a repost! someone, very kindly pointed out that my dyslexia(sp.?) is making an apperance again, and i had switched two letters on lion. Spellcheck didn't catch it, but the reviewer did, and to Vista: Thank you so much!

"That is so weird." Draco said.

"Yeah. Who would eat raw maggots?" Remus agreed.

'Don't go away. After the break, the remaining contestants will be riding across a 10 inch wide beam across a street forty stories up!' The television declared.

"The muggles on this show are crazy." Draco said.

"They will do anything for fame." Remus commented.

"True." Draco said. "Do you want to keep on watching this show? It's getting sort of boring."

"That it is." Remus commented nonchalantly.

"Why don't we go and wake Harry up?" Draco said.

"Sounds good." Remus said, remembering the days when he was Draco's age. If he slept in, the chances were that he would be woken up by a bucket of water, or something equally unpleasant.

"How shall we wake him up?" Draco said mischievously.

"Why don't we just wake him up nicely today. We can wait to prank him in his sleep until after dinner." Remus said. Harry's room had looked familiar when he had seen it at first, but he couldn't place it. Maybe after a second glance he would be able to figure out where he had seen it before.

"Yeah. If we wait, there's more time to plan." Draco said reasonably.

"Yep. You can't tell anyone at school about this though. It wouldn't go over well with the other staff."

"What, that you pranked Potter?" Draco said.

"Yes." Remus replied with a sigh, making it seem like it took a great effort to reply.

"Wait—staff?" Draco said slowly. "Are you going to be teaching again?"

"Yes. I'm taking the jinxed post of Defense Against The Dark Arts." Remus declared grandly. "And I'm going to have to work you all extra hard for you to catch up."

"I understand. My er... The git that calls himself my father, was most displeased with the teaching method that Umbridge used." Draco said, a touch of the hatred he felt for his father carried through his voice.

"Why?" Remus asked

"It went against Voldie's plans. He wanted his new initiates well versed in the art of defending yourself against the dark arts."

"Okay." Remus said, clearly confused.

"I don't know why. I have no idea what goes through that maniac's mind besides, 'Die Potter, Die.'" Draco said with a slight laugh. (A/N: Sound familiar? It's what Ron says after the divination Owl. 'I don't care if my tea leaves spell die Ron, die. I'm just chucking them in the bin where they belong.')

Remus laughed at Draco's statement, and said, "There's probably some more stuff that goes through his head, besides 'Die Potter, die."

"Yeah. I suppose that 'crucio' and 'Avada Kedavra' go through it a fair amount too." Draco said.

"Good point." Remus said.

"Hush. That's Harry's door." Draco said, pointing. "We're suppoused to be sneaking up on him."

Remus quietly opened the door and glanced around. There was a lump in the bed that was slowly moving up and down. He turned and motioned Draco in. They both started to sneak up on Harry's bed.

Harry grinned as he started to close the door with his foot. Just as it was about to close, it was stopped by a pale hand. Harry glanced down and grinned at his father. Harry put a finger to his lips and pointed to Remus and Draco. 'Sneak up on them?' Harry mouthed.

Severus smiled maliciously and nodded. Lily's ghost floated up to Harry and whispered in Harry's ear "Flying in the house?" And shook her finger at Harry. Harry smiled and turned his head back towards the others, who were currently sneaking up on a pile of Weasley's Wildfire Whiz-bangs. When they got within five feet of Harry's bed, Harry whispered 'activate'.

The comforter and sheets flew up to reveal a pile of fireworks that fizzled for a moment and then began to explode. Draco and Remus hurriedly backed up. Severus, who had heard his son whisper something, had already backed up. Remus finally turned and ran, but he didn't realize that Severus was almost directly behind him. Remus ran into Severus and in a fit of fear, Remus buried his face in Severus' robes and clenched fistfuls of them in his hands. Harry nearly fell off his broom trying not to laugh, Draco's eyes widened at the sight and Severus froze. Draco began to laugh and Harry yielded to his own laughter. Remus began to come to himself.

Looking down at the floor, Remus slowly said, "I am sorry for my reaction. It's just that one summer I was in the states and it was the fourth of July and some teens thought it would be funny to set fireworks off at anything that moved. It was a full moon, and well, I nearly got blown up that night." Remus finally looked up to see who he had been cowering against and gasped. "I'm a dead man." He said before fainting.

"It's a good thing he wasn't there last year then." Harry said from above his doorway.

"Yes. Now why don't you get off your broom and help me put him someplace." Severus said.

"You aren't er... going to kill him are you sir?" Draco asked timidly. "I was just getting to know him and I think that he's worth keeping around."

"No I won't kill him Draco, and as it's summer time and term hasn't started yet please call me Severus. Sir and Professor make me sound old." Severus said tiredly.

"Okay. And as to where to put him, why don't you put him on the daybed in the library?" Draco suggested.

"Yes I suppose that's a good enough place." Severus said. "Would you grab his feet?" He asked Draco.

"Sure." Draco said, reaching for Remus' feet. "Why can't we levitate him?"

"He has lycanthropy, something in the disease gives him a bad reaction to levitation." Severus said crisply.

"That stinks." Draco said.

"It could be worse." Severus replied.

"So where were you?" Draco asked, wondering if Severus would tell him

"Well, Lily and I went to rescue Harry's god father who everyone believes is a mass murderer, and incidentally, is your—" here Severus wrinkled his forehead in thought. Hogwarts professors were required to know who is related to whom, so to keep unknown cousins from dating. "Your second cousin."

"Hmm, second cousin who is Harry Potter's god father." Draco muttered, trying to remember who that would be. "Severus, who is he?"

"That would be me." Yet another voice from yet another doorway spoke. (A/N: Does anyone have a better idea for making people's presence known?)

"Sirius Back?" Draco asked.

"Yes that would be me. What happened to Remus.?" Sirius asked.

"Harry let off some Weasley's Wildfire Whiz-Bangs when Remus and Draco decided to sneak up on his bed." Severus stated, trying not to laugh.

"So now he's Harry?" Sirius asked, noting that Severus' form of address for his god-son had changed.

"Harry and I have reached a truce of sorts." Severus told him, almost gloating.

"Jeez. I go missing for a bit and Severus Snape is friends with my god son. What is the world coming to?" Sirius bemoaned, putting a hand to his forehead in mock despair.

"Oh well it could be worse. Harry's down in the kitchen. Why don't you transform and get under the cloak so you can sneak up on Harry. Remus will come round in an hour or so." Severus informed them.

"Fine." Sirius said grudgingly. With a slight pop, a black dog replaced Sirius and ambled forward towards Severus who pulled a invisibility cloak out of his robes and shook it out and draped it over the dog.

"So Harry, you'll never guess who we found while we were in London." Lily was saying to Harry.

Please tell me mum!" Harry pleaded with her.

"Okay, I'll give you a three clues. He or she used to be an unspeakable, has three paws, and lived with the Weasley's for a while." Lily told Harry. "Any guesses?"

Harry thought for a moment. Could it be? There was only one way to find out. "Did you—?" Harry said slowly.

Severus finished for Harry. "Catch Peter? Yes we did. How are we going to turn him in?"

Harry thought for a moment. Suddenly he jumped up and nearly ran to the fireplace. "I have an idea!" Harry nearly shouted, before grabbing a pinch of floo powder that Molly had left him. After tossing it in the fire and watching the flames turn an emerald green, Harry stuck his head in and said "The Burrow", Harry once again experienced the unpleasant feeling of his head spinning around while the rest of his body remained still.

The sight that meant his eyes was definitely not on the list of things he expected to see. Harry sighed and waited for Ron and Hermione to notice him. After a bit Harry gave up on him noticing him and took matters into his own hands. Grinning evilly, Harry said "Hem Hem." In a very good impression of Umbridge.

Hermione looked up startled and looked around the room hurriedly and had half drawn her wand. She had forgotten to look at the fireplace, and since her back was to it, she said to Ron, "There's no one there Ron."

"The fireplace, Hermione." He told her simply.

Hermione then looked over her shoulder and her eyes widened when she saw Harry.

"I was wondering when you two were going to get together." Harry said gleefully. Finally his two friends had realized how they felt for each other.

Hermione glared at Harry and said, "What makes you think that Ron and I are together? I could have just tripped and fallen onto him." Hermione trying to think of a reasonable excuse.

"I think not Hermione. I was in the fireplace for a minute or so before I spoke. I didn't want to interrupt, as you seemed quite busy." Harry said, trying not to laugh.

"Yes Hermione, you did seem quite busy." Ron said from behind her.

"Fine! I am with Ron. There I said it. Are you happy?" Hermione said, acting angry.

"Hey! Who says I'll have you?" Ron said.

"Judging by your response Ronald," Hermione said, emphasizing his name, "You do accept and we are a couple."

"Fine." Ron said, trying to look pissed off at being forced to go out with Hermione. He failed and a grin broke through his expression.

"Good, now that that's settled, Hermione do you still have that jar that you kept Rita in?" Hermione nodded. "Good. Would you mind flooing over with it?"

"Not at all, but why?" Hermione asked.

"I need it. The place is 'Marauder's wood' Ron can come too." Harry said.

"Okay." Hermione replied.

"You're not mad at me Harry are you?" Ron asked.

"No Ron." Harry rolled his eyes at Ron's question, Harry didn't look mad, did he? "It was completely obvious that you and Hermione liked each other. It was just a matter of time." Harry said, to avoid having to talk more Harry pulled his head out of the fire. After a few initial moments of dizziness, Harry blinked and brushed the soot out of his hair.

"Well?" Severus asked. "The charm holding him won't last the hour."

"Hermione's coming. She has got a handy little jar that is good for trapping animagi." Harry said. "She should be here any moment."

In accordance to Harry's statement, a rapidly spinning figure appeared in the fireplace. Hermione Granger stepped out of the fire and wobbled a bit before siting at a table. She glanced at her robes and muttered 'scrougify' The soot on them vanished. "Ron will be hare soonish. He got held up by his mother." Hermione informed them. "Now Harry, what did you need the jar for?" She asked him.

"A certain rat got caught in London today." Harry grimly told Hermione.

"You don't mean..." Hermione's voice trailed off, just incase she might be wrong. (A/N: Hermione? Wrong? Couldn't happen! Well it could... but it's a great fear of hers. Remember exams in the third book?)

"Peter Pettigrew?" Harry finished for her. Hermione nodded.

Harry pointed to the lump of unmoving fur on the table. For the fist time Hermione noticed Lily. "You look like Harry's mum." Hermione stated.

"Maybe 'cause I am?" Lily said sarcastically. The girl reminded her of herself.

Another spinning figure appeared in the fireplace and Ron sort of fell out of the fireplace. "Ugh. I absolutely hate floo travel." Said Ron's voice, a bit muffled by the floor. "My dad's coming along, he should be here soon. Lucky him, he gets to apparate."

"Okay then." Harry acknowledged Ron's statement, "Lets do this thing.

"Yes, lets. Now that the golden trio is complete." Severus said dryly.

Ron looked up surprised, he hadn't noticed the potions professor at the table next to Harry. Ron gulped, the only available seat at the tale was in-between Snape and Draco.

Draco, seeing Ron's hesitation, sighed and got up and went to sit next to Lily on the counter.

"It's bad manners to sit on the counter Draco" Lily said.

"And you're not?" He asked Lily.

"Nope. I'm Hovering just a little over the counter." Lily said smugly.

There was a faint crack outside and Arthur Weasley could be heard coming in the front door. After a few moments Mr. Weasley poked his head in the doorway. "Ah, There you are. Why are we all gathered here? All I could get out of Ron was something about a rat and a jar." He said sounding a little confused.

"Well, Mr. Weasley, Severus caught a certain rat and we decided that it should be locked up.

"A rat?" Mr. Weasley said, finally catching sight of the rat on the table. "Ron, isn't that Scabbers?"

"Yes it is." Ron said strangely, it was hard to admit to himself that he had kept a dangerous mass-murder in his room.

"Let's just put him in the jar." Harry said.

"Okay. Just let me get it out." Hermione said as she was drawing a jar out of her pocket. "Harry will you put him in there? I don't want to touch him."

"Neither do I." Harry said, "I'll do it." Harry reached over and gingerly picked up the rat by it's tail and dropped it in the jar. As Harry started to put the lid back on the jar, and angry beetle appeared. "Hermione, what is Rita doing in the jar?" Harry asked.

"She is?" Hermione said, standing up and moving over to Harry to get a closer look at the jar. "oh. She is. Why don't we let her out?"

"Yes I suppose we should." Harry replied, unscrewing the top so Rita could fly out. "There you go." He said softly.

"Rita flew out of the jar and landed on Hermione's currently vacant chair. With a faint 'pop', she resumed her normal form. "Hello. Could you please tell me what you were doing, putting a rat in my home?" She said, appearing a little scared.

"I'm sorry Rita. I didn't know you were living in a jar inside of my trunk. Perhaps you could elaborate." Hermione said, doing a very good impression of an angry potions master. Severus and the others unconsciously moved away from Hermione a little.

"The Death Eaters were after me. It was the safest place I could think of." Rita said quietly.

"Why were they after you?" Hermione asked, using a kinder tone this time.

To her surprise, the answer came from Severus, not Rita.

"They wanted her because people believed her articles." Severus said quietly. "They were going to capture her and force her to take the Dark Mark and possibly put her under the imperious, and have her writing articles discounting the ministry about Voldemort's return."

"That makes a bit of sense."

"Now that we've cleared up why I was in the jar, let's discuss the sudden appearance of a rat in the middle of my evening nap." Rita snapped.

"We decided that the jar was the best place for Peter, the wizard who good as killed my parents. Especially since there are a number of anti-detection wards on it."

"Peter who?" Rita asked suspiciously.

"Peter Pettigrew, the rat the got my mum killed." Harry said.

"Wasn't the Sirius Black?" Rita asked.

"No, Peter was the secret keeper for the Potters, not Sirius. Peter was the one who sold them out to Lord Voldemort. Sirius Black is innocent." Lily chimed in from the ceiling where she had been practicing loop-de-loops.

"Thanks mum." Harry said.

"It was nothing." Lily replied.

"So Sirius Black is innocent?" Rita said slowly.

"Yes!" Harry, Ron Hermione, Arthur, Lily and even Sirius shouted at her.

"How do you feel about this, Harry?" Rita asked in an all too familiar tone.

"I am not going to give an interview on this until Sirius' name is officially cleared." Harry said curtly, recognizing the glint in her eyes and tone of voice the Rita used when she was trying to get an interview.

"Fine. I'll wait until his name is cleared." Rita said grudgingly.

"And only if it is published in the Quibbler." Hermione added.

"Say it." Harry prompted.

"I will only publish an interview with Harry Potter regarding Sirius Black's innocence in the Quibbler." Rita said, rolling her eyes. "Happy?"

"Yes, Yes I am." Hermione and Harry said in unison.

"You two creep me out more than Fred and George." Ron muttered.

"At least you don't have to worry about any food I give you." Harry pointed out to Ron.

"You do have a point there." Ron admitted.

"Ron? Didn't you say that was Scabbers?" Mr. Weasley asked trying not to shout, although he wasn't sure why he wanted to shout.

"Yes." Ron said warily.

"Harry?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"Yes?" Harry said, knowing what was coming, and hoping to avoid it.

"Didn't you say that the rat was Peter Pettigrew?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"Why?" Harry said, avoiding the answer.

"BECAUSE I WANT TO KNOW If WE HOUSED A DANGEROUS CRIMINAL OR NOT!!" Mr. Weasley shouted at Harry.

Harry cringed, and Severus recognized that Harry wasn't taking the effects of the yelling too well.

"You don't have to yell Arthur." Severus said quietly.

"I'm sorry Harry, I didn't mean to yell." Mr. Weasley said quietly.

"It's okay Mr. Weasley." Harry said quietly.

Hermione chose that particular moment to speak up. "I'm sorry Mr. Weasley, Peter Pettigrew and Scabbers are one and the same. Seeing how Ron reacted to the news, we thought that it would be better if you didn't know." She finished quietly.

"Ruined. Completely ruined." Mr. Weasley muttered as he sank down into a nearby chair. "If this ever gets out, I'll probably lose my job. When Molly finds out— I don't even want to think about what will happen when Molly finds out."

"Dad, it's okay. Mum won't be furious. You can blame it on me. I should have told you at the end of my third year." Ron told his father.

"I too, must take my share in the blame." Severus surprised them all by speaking up. "If I had taken a different course of action in the Shrieking Shack, the outcome would have been remarkably different."

"Er.. Professor? Are you alright?" Hermione asked.

"Yes I am fine, Miss Granger." Severus replied.

"Then why are you all of a sudden in a better mood?" Hermione asked, surprising everyone, including herself.

"I don't believe that I have to answer that question." Severus said, adding a it of ice to his voice.

"What he means to say, is he doesn't have to deal with the headaches the Slytherins give him." Draco said.

"Really Draco?" Hermione asked playfully.

"Yep." Draco said.

"And I suppose with you not causing as much trouble, Professor Snape will have less headaches?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah I suppose. Especially with Fred and George out of Hogwarts." Draco added.

"Merlin be thanked for that." Severus murmured.

"Yeah. Hermione will be able to actually study in the common room this year." Ron said.

"Don't know if it will be worth studying though. Professor do you know who will be teaching Defense this year?" Hermione directed the question at Severus.

"I am." Remus said from the doorway. "Did you forget about me?"

"No Remus, of course not!" Harry was quick to say.

"We just got distracted by other things." Hermione said, who had no idea that Remus was there at all.

"Like the sudden appearance of a certain rat." Ron said proudly.

Remus' face had a hopeful expression on it. "You caught him?" He asked.

"Actually Severus did." Lily said from her high point of view.

"Lily?" Remus said, looking up at the spirit near the ceiling. "It's been so long. Why did you come back?" He asked in a strained voice.

"Harry needed me." Lily said simply.

"Okay. That makes some sort of sense." Remus said. "So now that Pettigrew has been captured, Sirius' name can be cleared.

"Yes. The name Sirius Black will no longer mean murderer." Harry said proudly.

Remus frowned. "Huh. I could have sworn I just smelled Sirius." Remus said sadly.

Harry quickly looked at his mother. He frowned at her in a silent question. She smiled and gave a slight nod. Harry then glanced around the kitchen. He didn't see Ron, Hermione, and Rita. "Where's Ron, Hermione and Rita?" He asked the general populace.

"Right here." Hermione said entering the kitchen with Ron right behind her.

"Where's Rita?" He asked suspiciously.

"Oh! We told her to go to Hogwarts if she's that desperate for protection. She flooed there from the library fire." Ron said.

"Not that all of us here are trust worthy, Sirius, why don't you remove your cloak?" Lily asked an apparently empty corner.

"Okay." Came the familiar voice from the corner. Ever so slowly, Sirius' head appeared. First the long grimy black hair, then the familiar blue eyes, and finally his grinning mouth. Sirius stood up (he was sitting in the corner) and started towards the table. He didn't quite make it there because he got tackled by Harry.

"You're not dead. I missed you so much!" Harry said, while hugging Sirius very tightly.

"Air." Sirius managed to say as his face was turning blue.

"Sorry." Harry said as he loosened his grip on Sirius.

"It's okay. I suppose if you had gone missing and presumed dead, I suppose that I'd squeeze you a bit too." Sirius replied, laughing a bit.

"Sirius. How did you get back?" Ron asked.

"I'm not too sure about that. All I know is that I'm not stuck in a big room with a bunch of other people who went through a veil." Sirius paused for a moment. "Harry? Would you mind if I stayed here for a bit? I'm not quite ready to go back to Grimmauld Place right now. That means that Dumbledore can't find out that I am back."

"Sure. I'm not really happy with Dumbledore right now." Harry said. He hadn't told anyone about how he felt mainly because of how they'd react. He didn't need the whole of the Order fawning over him and making him sort things out with the headmaster. (A/N: or the author forgot about Harry's feeling towards Dumbledore. Either one.)

"I'm not pleased with him either." Lily added. After all, he did make my son live with my sister and her horrible husband for most of his life. Hmm. Maybe I should go and pay my sister a visit.

"Arthur?" Sirius asked.

"I don't think so. He doesn't need to know everything now? Does he?" Arthur told them.

"Remus?" Harry asked.

"You have my word that I won't tell anyone." The werewolf said.

"Thank you." Harry said. "I'm sorry about the fireworks."

"It's okay. You had no idea that I would react to them that way. Besides, we shouldn't have been sneaking up on you." Remus said.

"True." Harry said with an incline of his head. "Mr. Weasley, would you like to stay for dinner?"

"As much as I'd like to, I have to go home and explain to Molly that Harry just wanted Ron and Hermione over for a chat, and they stayed for dinner." Arthur said.

"We can stay for Dinner?" Hermione asked. Mr. Weasley nodded. Hermione gave Mr. Weasley a hug and said, "Thank you!"

"Yeah, thanks dad." Ron added.

"I better be going before Molly comes round to see what is taking so long." Arthur said, before taking some floo power and tossing it in the fire and departing.

"Draco, would you mind keeping Ron and Hermione entertained while I make dinner?" Harry asked.

"Not at all. Are you sure that you will be able to make dinner for eight people." Draco asked.

"I should be fine." Harry said, not mentioning that the Dursleys had forced him to make dinner for them all the time.

"Er, Draco, aren't you miscounting?" Sirius asked.

"No, he's not. There are eight of us. You are the one miscounting." Harry said.

"Okay then. Harry I assume that Lily told you that this is the ancestral summer home of the Potters?" Sirius asked.

"Yes." Harry said.

"Good then. I don't know if you remember, but I spent much of my summers with the Potter family?" Sirius said with a slight grin.

"Yes." Harry said warily.

"Not only is there the secrets tower off of your room, but all of the Marauders had their own rooms. All hidden of course, but would you like to go and check them out?"

"Sure." Harry said, relived that Sirius wasn't bringing up a more serious topic.

"Okay, let's go. Before you ask, I personally dismantled Peter's room, and just as I finished, the place popped out of existence and a few hours later we had our duel." Sirius.

"Oh. Sirius. Mum once said that Severus was a marauder. Does he have a room here too?" Harry asked.

"I think he does." Sirius said. "Have you checked for it recently?" he asked Severus.

"No. I haven't got around to it yet."

"Professor? If you were a Marauder too, are you an animagus?" Hermione asked.

Sirius laughed loudly. "C'mon, Griffy, transform." With that comment, Severus glared at Sirius.

"Griffy?" Ron asked bewildered.

"You will pay Padfoot." Severus told Sirius. Suddenly in Severus' place was a large, pure black, _lion_. (A/N: I had to do that. What do you think of Sev's form being the Gryffindor mascot? Hence the name Griffy.)

"Looks like Gryffindor has a new mascot." Harry said, trying not to laugh.

"That's exactly what James said when Severus first managed the transformation." Remus said.

Ron looked over at the loin, in wonder, and something suddenly clicked. "Hermione? Do you remember that lion we saw on prefect patrol once?"

"Was that you Professor?" Hermione asked the loin, after thinking for a moment.

The lion nodded and looked at Sirius and flexed a paw. Dangerous looking claws made their presence known. Harry was staring at his father. He made quite a majestic lion really.

"Harry?" Hermione asked. "Are you okay? You had the strangest expression on you face."

"Oh. Yeah, I'm fine. I just realized that if I don't get dinner started now, we'll eat really late, so I better get cooking. Why don't you Ron, Remus, Lily, Sirius, and Draco go down and watch a movie. A really cute one that Dudley hated was the Pagemaster." Harry said.

"What's it about?" Hermione asked.

"I can't really remember, but I remember that I liked it." Harry said. "So why don't you all go and watch it."

"Okay. Why don't you want Professor Snape to go and watch it with us." Hermione asked.

"Oh. He, um.." Harry's voice trailed off, not sure what to say.

Severus, noticing that his son couldn't come up with a suitable excuse resumed his human form and said, "I promised that I'd help him with dinner tonight."

"Yeah. Dinner." Harry said quickly, and shot a look of gratitude to his father.

"Okay then. Are you sure that you don't want any more help?" Hermione asked, looking at Severus suspiciously.

"It's okay Hermione. He won't stun me and take me to Lord Voldemort. He's had plenty of opportunity to do that already." Harry said trying to get Hermione to join the others who had already go downstairs.

"Fine. I know when I'm not wanted." Hermione said scathingly. Severus rolled his eyes. The girl knew that Harry was hiding something and would go to the extreme to find out what it was. Hermione abruptly turned and began to walk away quickly.

"Wait! Hermione come back." Harry called to her desperately.

Hermione allowed herself a tiny smile before slowly turning around. "What?" She asked in that tone that most teenagers use with their parents in the rare moments that they are actually talking to them. (A/N: You know. Sort of a snap, but with a load of disrespect, and usually accompanied with a roll of the eyes.)

Severus decided to lighten the mood. "You've go the word!" He crowed, calling on his memory of his experience with the peach for help.

"What?" Hermione and Harry asked him.

"Did I say something?" Severus asked innocently, acting as if it had never happened.

"Nothing." Harry muttered. Hermione had walked back to the kitchen. She sat at the table and motioned to the chair across from him.

"Sit." Harry sat.

"Okay, Hermione. I am going to tell you something. You can't tell anyone what you are about to hear. If the wrong people find out, it can cause someone that I care for very, very much, and might even love, to die."

When Severus heard his son say these words, he felt a strange feeling rise up through his body. A feeling that made him want to run and jump and scream with happiness.

"Can I have your promise not to tell, anyone? Especially Ron?" Harry said slowly, making sure that Hermione heard every word.

"Sure Harry. You know that you can always count on me. But why not Ron?" Hermione asked.

"Ron has a tendency to get mad and yell out secrets for the whole school or common room to hear." Harry said quietly.

"True." Hermione agreed. "But why is he still here?" Hermione asked, meaning Severus.

"Because he was suppoused to tell me, but my mum beat him to it." Harry said.

"Okay, so three beings know this. Does anyone else?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah. Draco and Dumbledore both know." Harry said.

"So what is it that you are going to tell me?" Hermione asked.

"Severusismyfather." Harry said quickly.

"What? Harry, I didn't quite catch that." Hermione said.

"I believe what Harry meant to say was that I am his father." Severus said offhandedly while he was chopping some garlic for the spaghetti sauce.

"I really hope that this is news to you because if you knew that he was your son when he first came to Hogwarts..." Hermione said dangerously.

Severus audibly gulped when Hermione threatened him. There were numerous things that the young witch could do to him. "I can assure you that this is completely new news to me. If I had known about Harry's true parentage when Lily and James were murdered, I would have been the first in line to take Harry into my home." Severus said quickly. "As you can see, I am doing my best to make up for the lost years right now."

"Yeah. Hermione. So what do you think?" Harry asked.

"Shocked. I'm happy for you though. It's good for you to have someone who cares for you who is related. I do see the importance of not telling anyone. Do you remember how you were learning Occlumency? I'd really like to learn, if it's okay?" Hermione asked tentatively.

"I'm sure that could be arranged. Harry, why don't you go and check the Library for books on the subject. I'm sure that last time I was here I left some in there. If they are there, the would be on one of the shelves by the window seat." Severus said.

Hermione got up and almost left. Except Harry said something. "Are you sure Severus?"

"Yes, I'm sure, if I wasn't sure, I wouldn't tell you." Severus said crisply.

"I should be helping you with the cooking." Harry said.

Severus sighed and decided that he was going to have a word with the boy's relatives. "I am quite an able to cook a dinner, just as you are quite able to go and find those books. Read the first chapter of _Basic Occluding of the Mind _(A/N: I don't know if the spellings right, but as my mom was telling me to take out the trash when I was trying to see if that word was in the book, I gave up after the Harry in Sev's pensive incident.) And practice thinking of nothing."

"Yes, Severus. When will dinner be finished?" Harry asked.

"About an hour and a half." Severus replied. "And yes, I am sure that I don't want any help."

"Okay." Harry said. His hands raised in defeat. "You win."

"Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Yes?" Harry replied.

"When are you going to tell Ron?" Hermione asked.

"We'll wait for the opportune moment." Harry said.

"I know it'll be difficult for you, but don't do anything.." Hermione paused. "Stupid." She finished. (A/N: does anyone recognize that line?)

"Fine." Harry said curtly. Before stalking off with his robes billowing dramatically behind him. Hermione stopped dead in her tracks as she watched Harry's robs. Then she smiled. He was truly Severus' son. Why did he look like James?

Hermione walked raster to catch up with Harry. She caught up with him at the Library door. "Harry? Why do you look like James?"

"Apparently Mum charmed me to look like James. The most interesting thing is that the visible sign or the charm is this scar." Harry traced the familiar lightning bolt scar. "It also gets more prominent if I am cursed with something that has a lasting effect. According to my Mum, it will fade throughout the next year. So it might go away completely, or it might just fade noticeably." Harry said.

"That's good. So will your appearance be changing a bit?" Hermione asked.

"Actually I'm not sure. Severus and James were distant cousins, I found one photo of all them, including Lily, and Severus and James look really similar. I don't know if there will be that much of a change, They both had black hair. Guess what? According to mum, my hair will actually grow quite a bit. Mainly because it was charmed to stay the length it is, so if I want I can have it long." Harry said, fingering a lock of his hair. "I think it would be okay long. Don't you Hermione?"

"I'm talking about hair with Harry Potter. Will wonders never cease?" Hermione muttered, looking at the ceiling.

"You forgot the wonder that Severus could actually reproduce." Harry said.

"True." Hermione said. "EWWWW! Dirty thoughts! EWWWW!" Hermione said loudly. "Ew, ew, ew, ew." Hermione began repeating very fast and quietly.

"Hermione? Are you okay?" Harry asked, suppressing a laugh.

"NO I am NOT okay. Why did you have to go and say that about Professor Snape?"

"Say what, Hermione?" Harry asked innocently.

"Say that line about Professor Snape actually reproducing." Hermione said through gritted teeth. "Now I have—" Hermione was cut off by Professor Snape.

"Have what? Miss Granger? Perhaps you'd like to enlighten me and Harry here." Severus said, hiding that he was very near to breaking out in laughter.

"Nothing, Professor." Hermione said, turning red and glaring at Harry.

"Truly? It seemed like it was something. Are you sure?" Severus asked.

"Yes I am sure." Hermione replied through gritted teeth once again.

"Are you sure it wasn't dirty thoughts about Hogwarts Professors?" Harry said.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Now really, Miss Granger! Dirty thoughts? About Hogwarts Professors?" Severus said wonderingly. "What sort of dirty thoughts?"

"Harry! Make him quit! He's worse than Fred and George!" Hermione said, her cheeks a color Harry didn't think was possible without makeup.

"Dad, if you stop, I'll tell you what caused all of this." Harry said.

Severus grinned inwardly. Harry had called him Dad! (A/N: YAY!!!!!) For that, he could quit. He wondered if Harry would go back to Severus or if he would keep calling him Dad. "Fine I'll quit. I'm sorry Miss Granger."

Hermione looked up. She had never seen this side of Professor Snape before, and compared to how he acted at school, this was scary! "I'm sorry sir, it's just that I've never seen this side of you before, and it's quite terrifying." Hermione squeaked.

Harry laughed. "He scared me at first too Hermione. After all of two days, I'm used to it."

"Oh yes. Two days, and I'm still afraid to get out of my bed." Severus said.

"Why?!" Harry exclaimed. "Draco and I haven't pranked your bed or your food, yet."

"YET. That's what worries me." Severus said.

"You have my utmost apologies sir." Hermione said. "And my wishes for a speedy recovery."

"So you think that I will be hurt by their pranks?" Severus said, backing away from his son as if he was a bomb.

"Dad, do you think that I, your perfect son, would harm you?" Harry said, over-doing the perfect little angel act.

"Yes." Severus said firmly.

"Oh ye of little faith, just you wait." Harry said. "Do you want to know what set Hermione off?"

"Please." Severus said simply.

"Well Hermione said 'I'm talking about hair with Harry Potter. Will wonders never cease?' Then I said, 'You forgot the wonder that Severus could actually reproduce.' That's all it was really." Harry said innocently.

"The wonder that Severus could actually reproduce?" Severus said in false anger.

"Well, in Griffy Tower" Harry coughed. "Sorry, I meant _Gryffindor_ Tower, it's a well discussed topic whether or not you can reproduce."

"Ah. More reasons to hate Gryffindors. YAY!" Severus exclaimed.

Hermione and Harry backed away slowly.

"Don't make eye contact. I've heard it works with bears." Harry whispered to Hermione.

"He has us cornered. How are we going to escape?" Hermione whispered back.

"Maybe he won't notice if we make a run for it." Harry said.

"On three?" Hermione asked.

"One." Harry said.

"Two." Hermione said.

"THREE!" Harry yelled and made a run for it. Suddenly there was a large black lion directly in front of him.

Harry rapidly came to a stop. He looked over to Hermione and saw that she had stopped too.

"Well there's one way to force us to study." Hermione laughed weakly.

"Let's study then." Harry said.

"Okay." Hermione agreed.

Harry looked at random shelves until he came to an unmarked book. Being the naturally curious person he is, he pulled it out and opened it. To his surprise, the front page said: Photographic Memories of Marauder's Pranks and Other Memorable Moments. Harry grinned and took the photo album over to a window seat. He began flipping through it. There was a photo of Severus in the Hospital Wing with what looked like HOG ART HIST imprinted on his face. Both eyes were swollen shut, and he appeared to be in a lot of pain. Under the photo in swirly lettering was, Couple Lesson #3 Never break up on her Birthday. Especially after giving her Hogwarts A History as a gift. (Bad for the Face) A few pages after that was another photo, with a bright pink half transformed Sirius. The caption for that one was, Friendship Lesson #24 Don't tease Lily about her family, since she knows the animagi spells. On the next page was one of a lion. There was a scribbled out, Gryffindor's New mascot! Harry laughed and turned the page.

The next one was of the Staff table. Professor McGonagall's usually neat hair was arranged in foot long spikes, Dumbledore's beard and hair had (Harry looked closer) incantations scrolling over it, much to his delight. Periodically he would pick up his beard and read it. Professor Sprout had what looked like Wisteria growing from her head. Professor Binns' hair was spelling out boring in fancy script. Professor Flitwick's hair and beard were flashing different colors, and to top it all off, Hagrid's hair had what looked like miniature thestrals occasionally trying to fly away, causing his hair to fly up in different directions every once in a while. The professor next to him was trying to help him catch one, as they were both fascinated with them. His hair only burst into flame occasionally, whereas the professor on the other side of him (two seats from Hagrid) had something that resembled snakes for hair. The caption for that photo was: Prank Tip #32 House Elves make great friends.

Harry couldn't decide whether or not to turn the page. He did. There was a photo that showed Peter, Severus, Sirius and James all looking beat up and an equally beat up Remus glaring at the four from a corner. This caption was Friendship Lessons #21 Werewolves fight dirty. Then below that. We do not, we are just stronger. Harry laughed at that. On page after that there was a photo of the five marauder's showing off their animagi skills. Apparently Remus was one too, but no one had ever told Harry. So at first it was just James, Peter, Remus, Severus and Sirius, and then there would be a stag, rat, wolf, lion, and dog in their place. This one's caption was Prank Tips #15 Animagi skills come in handy. Harry looked at the photo fondly. That would be a handy one to have around. He would have to ask Hermione if she knew a spell that would allow him to copy the photo.

(A/N: Before anyone asks, the only tips and Lesson things are the ones that I have written so far. I might come up with more in the future, if the photo album makes another appearance and Fred and George don't steal it.)

Harry continued looking at the photo album and Hermione had found a rare history and had completely forgotten about the Occlumency books. Neither of them had noticed when black lion went back to the kitchen. He was quite surprised to see the red haired witch finishing the spaghetti.

"I was going to finish that Molly." Severus said after resuming his human form.

"So you were the one who left sauce on the stove to let it burn?" She asked.

"It wouldn't have burned. I put a temperature regulator spell on it and a continual stirring spell. It would have been fine." Severus said.

"What's got you in such a good mood?" Molly asked suspiciously.

"Oh a few things that don't really matter." Severus said nonchalantly.

"Okay then. I would like to know where my son is." Molly asked.

"He's downstairs. I'll go and fetch him. Are you okay finishing up in here?" Severus asked, knowing that the woman loved cooking for large groups. "Yes, I'm quite fine."

"Good then. I'll be right up with Ron." Severus said before leaving the room and hurriedly walking downstairs. Severus reached the door to the TV room and saw that it was a jar. Lovely. He quietly opened the door. "Ron?"

Ron jumped at the voice and looked at Severus strangely. "What?"

Severus nearly kicked himself. He had forgotten the angry professor act. "Your mother is here. She requests your presence in the kitchen and remember, if you breathe one word about Sirius to her you will sorely wish that you had never been born." Severus said. His theory was, forgot the act? Apply it liberally after exposure to nice Severus.

"Yes, Professor." Ron said as he hurried up to the kitchen. It wasn't a good idea to keep his mother waiting. No it was not.

"RONALD WEASLEY! Do you have any idea what the portrait in the front room told me?" Molly asked her son. It was remarkable how much she resembled a tiger.

"Umm. Vaguely." Ron said.

"I know that you are a teenage boy and that you have urges, but what if Ginny had walked in on you and Hermione? Do you have any idea of how she would have felt?" Molly yelled at him.

"What if Hermione's parents had come back early? How would they have felt, seeing their baby girl engaging in that sort of activity?" Molly added. "I promised then that she would be fine! Do you think that they would see that as fine?"

"I think not!" Mrs. Weasley took a breath, and Ron seized the opportunity.

"Mum. Me and Hermione... It's not what you... We're just..." Ron suddenly figured out a decent defense. "Mum. We never meant to do that, it just sort of happened. We were only snogging. What did the portrait tell you?

"It certainly didn't say that you were only snogging. That portrait made it seem quite worse than innocent snogging. I'll have to have a word with my grandmum, maybe move her to a different place." Mrs. Weasley seemed to have calmed down quite a bit.

"If you don't mind mum, I'm going back downstairs." Ron said.

"Okay dear, dinner will be ready soon. I won't be staying so be sure to eat plenty." Molly said watching her son, and not noticing that he didn't go back downstairs, he went to the library.

Ron was wondering where Hermione and Harry were. The library door was ajar, so he stood outside it for a moment.

"Hermione, look, here's a picture of my dad playing Quidditch." Harry said.

"Really? I didn't know that he played." Hermione said, going over to Harry and looking at the picture.

"Honestly, Hermione, not know that James Potter played quidditch." Ron said, going over to them to look at the photo.

"I don't think it's a team photo. It looks like a Girls vs. Boys game in their first year. See? There's my mum." Harry said, pointing out a figure flying around the picture.

"What are you looking at?" Sirius asked from the doorway.

"Oh nothing, just a photo album." Harry said nonchalantly.

"Really? Can I see?" Sirius asked.

"Oh I don't think that you need to see, as you're in half of them." Harry informed him.

"I am?" Sirius asked. "Oh no. Is that—" Sirius asked in a choked voice.

"Photographic Memories of Marauder's Pranks and Other Memorable Moments?" Harry asked.

Sirius nodded with a horrified expression on his face.

"Tell me, does this sound familiar? 'Don't tease Lily about her family since she knows the transformation spells'?" Harry asked mischievously.

Sirius closed his eyes remembering that particular day. Then he decided that Harry shouldn't be looking at that because he might find out things that he would have questions for that would be uncomfortable to answer. Sirius lunged for the book.

Harry held it away from Sirius. "Padfoot, could you tell me why house elves make good friends?"

"Yeah I can. Could you let me see which prank that one is?" Sirius asked.

Harry laughed and flipped to that particular page. "Here."

"Oh this one. That prank took months to prepare. We figured out a potion that would have interesting effects on a persons hair if ingested. The best part was that the effects lasted for almost a week. McGonagall was so mad, and the best part was because we swore the elves to secrecy, she couldn't prove it was us! Hagrid, Dumbledore and Sprout all tried to duplicate the effects.. Now, wouldn't it be a shame if a copy of this photo got blown up to 2 times life size and got stuck with a permanent sticking charm to the wall behind the staff table?"

"You wouldn't!" Hermione said, aghast at the idea.

"Oh yes I would." Sirius said. "best part, 'cause they think I'm dead, they can't do anything."

"I'll do it. Under one condition." Harry said.

"And that is?" Sirius said.

"You teach us to become animagi." Harry said.

"You drive a tough bargain." Sirius said. "And why would I teach you to become animagi?"

"Well shouldn't the next generation of marauder's be able to transform?" Harry asked.

Sirius stood still for a but, thinking. "Would you really do that? Carry on the traditions of Moony, Padfoot, Prongs and Griffy?" He asked, his voice choked with emotion.

"Of course." Hermione said. "As long as we don't let anyone know that it is us."

"Well we never told anyone our identities while we were at school." Sirius said.

"But there is one slight problem." Ron said.

"And that is?" Sirius asked.

"Doesn't it take you like years to become an animagi?" Ron asked.

"You forget who you are talking to." Sirius said gallantly.

"How long did it take you guys to learn?" Harry asked.

"A little over three years." Sirius said.

"We don't have three years. We have a month." Hermione pointed out.

"Ah, but it only took three years to get all the information. Now, see the portrait of Merlin?" Sirius asked.

"Merlin?" Ron said blankly.

"Yes, the wizard who is currently sleeping, surrounded by books?" Ron nodded. "Good then, behind his portrait there is a secret compartment. You whisper 'Marauders Rule' to the book in the lower right corner. It opens and in there is the book on how we learned to become animagi." Sirius said.

"Okay then. When do we start?"

"Start what, Mr. Weasley?" Severus asked from the doorway.

"Oh, he was just asking if I was going to re-form the DA and when I was going to start meetings." Harry said. "I suppose that you are here for a reason Severus?" Harry asked, looking his father squarely in the eye.

"I have been sent to inform you that dinner is ready and Molly has left." Severus said, glaring at Harry, just to be glaring. "As if you really need to eat..."

"You know I do and I plan to eat something, especially since that heavenly scent has been drifting into here." Harry said.

"Fine. Just remember, that I prepared it." Severus said.

"Fine, just remember that Mad-Eye taught me a few tricks about detecting poisons in my food." Harry said, trying not to laugh, knowing that his father was having fun teasing him. In the past two days, Harry had learned that Severus had a rather dry sense of humor.

"That was rather good." Hermione said, directing her comment at Severus.

"Yeah, I had forgotten that you knew how to cook, Severus." Remus added.

Lily floated down to Harry and whispered in his ear. Harry nodded and got another plate of spaghetti.

"Er, Harry? Why are you putting a shield around a plate of spaghetti?" Hermione asked.

"You'll see." Harry said sarcastically. He poked the tip off his wand in the shield and whispered the killing curse. "There you go mum, you'll have to do the rest yourself." Harry said, motioning to the rest of the spaghetti that was now silvery.

"Sorry Lily, I completely forgot your portion." Severus said, mentally smacking himself, how could he be a father if he couldn't even remember someone else's eating needs?

"It's okay Sev, I'm sort of hard to keep track of." Lily said pleasantly. Just then the doorbell rang.

"Sirius you go up to my room, everyone else, remember, Padfoot is dead." Harry said. "I'll get that, seeing as it is my house." Harry waited until Sirius got up the stairs and went to answer the door. On the porch, was none other than Albus Dumbledore.

"Hello, Professor, may I inquire as to the occasion for you to be stopping by?" Harry asked, hiding his true feeling for the man.

"Oh just thought I'd stop by, see how you and Severus were getting on, talk to Lily, and have a chat with a certain Miss Granger." Dumbledore said off-handedly.

"Sir? What do you mean by Lily? I can assure you that there is no one here that goes by that name." Harry said, blocking his mind. He had gotten quite good at blocking his mind, because at the Dursley's he had had nothing better to do.

"I got a most interesting letter from your mother's ghost from this little bird." Dumbledore stepped aside and for the first time, Harry caught sight of Nearly Headless Nick.

"Hello Nick. Why don't you two come in." Harry said, stepping aside from the door. He motioned for Dumbledore to follow him to the kitchen. "Okay everyone, Professor Dumbledore has stopped by for a visit."

"Hello Lily, since I could not write a reply to your letter, I decided to come and answer it in person. I will tell you that I put Harry in his relatives care because that seemed that safest place for him." Dumbledore paused for a breath.

"SAFE! Her home safe? You must have been deulsional. Petunia was always jealous and she hated magic! You should have known better. I would have soon as left Harry in Peter's care than in my sister's care!" Lily shouted at Dumbledore. Then she noticed Nick. "Oh, Hello Nick. Would you like a plate of spaghetti?"

"If it's not too much trouble." Nick said.

"Oh no, it's no trouble at all. Right Draco?" Lily asked, turning to Draco and looking at him menacingly.

"No trouble at all, I'll just get that plate of spaghetti right away." Draco said, going along with Lily, as he had an idea of what she was going to do. Sure enough she drew the whip from her robes and snapped it at Draco.

"Faster!" She told him.

"Yes, mistress." Draco said, hurrying. He cast the shield charm around the plate and watched it blow up satisfactorily.

Dumbledore looked on in amusement. Lily really fitted in with this group as strange as it seemed.

"Excuse me sir?" Hermione asked him. "They're only going to get louder, so perhaps you'd like to go to a quieter place to discuss things?"

"That would be lovely Miss Granger. In fact I have something I'd like to discuss with you." Dumbledore said.

"Then I suggest the Library." Hermione said, leaving the kitchen for the quiet sanctuary of the library. "Now what was it that you wanted to talk about?"

"I'd like to discuss why you sent Ms. Skeeter to me." Dumbledore asked.

"Oh, well she said that Voldemort was after her and I figured that Hogwarts was a safe place for her. It sounded like she'd like to join in the fight against Voldemort, so again I thought of you." Hermione replied, sitting in the window seat and motioning for Dumbledore to sit in the nearest chair.

"Excellent reasoning, Miss Granger. I commend you on that."

"Thank you sir. Did she want to join the Order?" Hermione asked.

"She did, and we will be inducting her August first." Dumbledore said, he pulled a jar out of his robes. "Would you like a lemon drop?" He offered the jar to her.

"No thank you sir." Hermione replied.

"I'd like to ask you if Harry has told you anything about his family recently." Dumbledore asked.

"Professor, I believe that that is absolutely none of your business." Harry's voice broke in from the doorway.

"Well Harry, I was just asking Miss Granger—" Dumbledore was cut off by Harry.

"If I had told her who my father is. Which, I may point out is none of your business. This is a matter concerning Severus and I. Which is worse, than keeping important prophecies from me." Harry said, barely suppressing the rage in his voice. He was tired of Dumbledore sticking his crooked nose in Harry's business.

"I admit. I should have told you about that earlier. If I had I could have prevented Sirius' death." Dumbledore said, trying to calm Harry down. Sadly, he had said the wrong thing.

"YOU DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT SIRIUS! ALL YOU CARE ABOUT IS MANIPULATING PEOPLE TO GET THEM TO DO YOUR BIDDING! If YOU HAD DONE THE RIGHT THING AND TOLD ME ABOUT THE DAMNED PROPHECY SIRIUS WOULD BE HERE NOW! NOT THROUGH SOME BLOODY VIEL IN THE DEPART OF MYSTERIES! YOU COULDN'T EVEN TELL ME WHY I WAS GETTING THOSE VISIONS! YOU JUST FORCED ME TO TAKE OCCULMENCY LESSONS WITH SNAPE! YOU COULDN'T BRING YOURSELF TO DO THAT BECAUSE YOU WERE AFARID TO! INSTEAD YOU MADE ME RELIVE MY CHILDHOOD! WHICH WASN'T A PLEASANT EXPERINCE, MIND YOU! I'D APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WOULD KEEP YOUR CROOKED NOSE OUT OF MY BUISNESS!" Harry yelled at Dumbledore before slamming out of the Library and stomping up the stairs. Minor explosions could be heard until there was another slamming door.

Hermione didn't know what to say. Apparently Harry and Dumbledore weren't on the best of terms. After a few moments, Severus stormed into the library and gently shut the door and put about three locking charms on it, and five different silencing charms on it. Hermione gulped and looked out the window for a means of escape. Being locked in the same room with a very angry Professor Snape wasn't a good thing.

"Albus, would you care to explaining why every dish in the kitchen shattered of it's own accord, including Lily's and Nick's, and why my son had locked himself in his room and won't let anyone in?" Severus said, keeping control of his voice, not mentioning the trail of broken things folloiwin the pathway to his son's bedroom.

"Well, I was talking with Miss Granger here, and I merely wished to know if Harry had told her of his parentage, and Harry told me in a few words that it was none of my business." Dumbledore said calmly, examining his hands.

"Is that all?" Severus asked.

"No." Hermione surprised herself by speaking up. "Harry said something about keeping important prophecies from him. Then Dumbledore said he should have told Harry and that he could have prevented Sirius' death." Hermione said, her voice gaining strength and clarity with each word. "Then Harry blew up. That is all."

"Thank you miss Granger." Severus said, before glaring at Dumbledore. "Albus, what were you thinking? You knew that Harry wasn't happy with you. It would have been best if you had just let things be, but NO, YOU HAVE TO KNOW EVERYTHING! WHY CAN'T YOU JUST LET MY SON BE? HE ALREAD HAS EOUGH PROBLEMS WITHOUT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT YOU PRYING INTO HIS BUISNESS. It DOES NOT MATTER WHO HARRY AND I TELL ABOUT OUR RELATIONSHIP! IT IS ABSOULTLEY NONE OF YOU BUISNESS! I SUGGEST THAT YOU LEAVE!" Severus yelled to the old man who didn't know how to mind his own business.

Taking a deep breath to calm his emotions, Severus said "Miss Granger, would you like to go and see f we can get Harry to talk?" Severus asked as she stormed out of the library in front of him.

"That's exactly where I was going. I intend to find out about this prophecy thing he mentioned." Hermione said, her robes billowing behind her dramatically.

"Hold your arms more loosely, they billow better that way." Severus told her.

"What?" Hermione asked, perplexed.

"Did you not notice that your robes are billowing behind you?" Severus asked.

Hermione stopped in her tracks. "They were?' She asked.

"Yes, it rather reminded me of myself. If you do it right, you can get the right combination of angry potions master, stern transfiguration teacher, and a little it of Molly Weasley, you can be quite intimidating." Severus pointed out.

"Really?" Hermione asked. "I could scare the into doing their homework. Maybe I could even get entire the entire Gryffindor Tower to do their homework." Hermione, said, thinking of the possibilities.

"That would be highly unlikely." Severus said.

"It's possible." Hermione said.

"True. Now hush." Severus said. He knocked on Harry's door. "Harry" May I come in?" There was no response. Severus knocked again. "Harry, please, could you let me in?"

"NO!" Harry shouted from the other side of the door.

Hermione looked at Severus and whispered, "Let me try." He nodded. "Harry, it's me Hermione, could I please come in?"

"GO AWAY!" Harry replied at top volume.

"We can talk about how stupid Dumbledore is." Hermione said.

"I DON'T WANT TO TALK TO ANYONE, SO GO AWAY!" Harry shouted.

"Harry?" Hermione asked.

There was silence. Severus sighed. "Why don't we try later?" He asked.

"Good idea, give him some time to cool down."

Harry threw yet another knife at he wall and smiled in satisfaction as it stuck in the wall. He reached for another and Sirius handed him one.

"You're getting closer to the target." Sirius said.

"Yeah." Harry agreed.

"I thought you didn't want to talk to anyone." Sirius said, handing Harry another knife for him to throw at the circle he had drawn on the wall.

"I don't want to talk to them." Harry said. Taking another knife and throwing it at the wall. (A/N: Believe me when I say it is satisfying to throw knives into a wall to work off anger. There's something satisfying about it.)

"That was the last knife." Sirius said after Harry threw it.

"Okay." Harry waved his hand and the wall fixed itself and the knives put themselves back in their box. "I'm actually sort of tired of doing this."

"I have something to do." Sirius said. "How would you like to find out what your animagi form is?"

"I'd love to." Harry grinned. "What do I do?"

"You just stand where you are and let me cast the spell on you." Sirius said grinning as he drew his wand. (A/N: They nicked it from Grimmauld Place.)

"Okay." Harry stood still already having an idea what his from might be.

'_nudo feara forma Harry Potter_' Sirius muttered while pointing his wand directly at Harry's chest. A black jet shot out of his wand and surrounded Harry.

Then the black glow surroundind Harry faded and Harry felt the familiar sensations of his body changing size and shape. Except when the sensations stopped, it felt different from his usual form. His form was longetr and more lithe. Other than that it was normal. Harry twitched his tail and walked over to the bathroom door where there was a mirrior. He flexed a paw and sharp claws shot out of it. Harry slammed his weight into the door and it popped open. When Harry caught sight of himself in the mirrior he grinned. The panther in the mirrior showed off it's teeth.

Harry padded out, back twards Sirius and looked up at him. Sirius smiled back at Harry. "It only lasts five minutes, so you should be going back to your human form any second." True to his word, Harry felt the cat shape leaving him and his human form reasserting itself.

"Wow. A panther!" Sirius said.

"Sirius, is it possible for a wizard to have two forms?" Harry said.

"Yeah. Really powerful wizards can have two forms. Why do you ask?" Sirius asked.

Harry decided that it was finally time to let his secret out. "Because of this." Harry said and changed into a large tiger.

"Ah. How long have you been able to do that?" Sirius asked.

"My earliest memory of changing is when I was three. My aunt had left me with the neighbor, Meaghan, who was a witch, but I didn't know that, well, me and her son were watching an old Winnie the Pooh episode, and When I saw one of the characters, Tigger, I transformed into a tiger." Harry said. "She said to not do it in front of people and not to tell anyone. You are the first person I've ever told."

"Wow. An animagi since age three. That's got to be some sort of record, Harry." Sirius said in awe.

"Please don't spread it aroung. I don't want too many people knowing about it." Harry said.

"That's okay. Do you ming resuming your form for a moment? I want to perform a communication spell, it's so we can talk mind to mind in our forms."

Harry nodded and transformed. Once again, Sirius pointed hi wand at him. This time, Sirius said, '_vinculum_' and then Sirius transformed into the familiar dog.

'Harry?' Siruis asked. 'Can you hear me?'

'Yep.' Harry replied.

'Well, now that you have your form we need to find an alias for you.' Sirius said.

'How about Tigger?' Harry asked.

'Sounds fitting.' Sirius said, 'as you're a tiger and all.'

Their conversation was inturrpted by a knock on the door. With two slight 'pops' Harry and Siruis resumed their human forms.

"Who is it now?" Harrry snapped.

"Harry, it's Remus. May I please come in?" Remus asked through the door. He had been nominated as the next person to try and get Harry to talk.

"Should I let him in?" Harry asked Sirius.

"I suppouse you should." Sirius told him.

"Fine." Harry waved his hand and the door opened of it's own accord and Remus was dragged into the room, and as soon as Remus was out of the door's swing, it slammed itself shut and locked.

Remus looked at the door strangley. "Er. Nice spell that you have there on the door."

"I know. I found it in a book yesterday. I guess it works." Harry said proudly.

"Yes, I suppouse so." Remus said. "So, what've you and Sirius been doing?"

"Learning how to be an animagi." Harry said off-handedly. Harry immensly enjoyed Remus' reaction.

"WHAT! Learning to be an animagi? Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?" Remus practically shouted.

"Moony, relax, he's been doing this since he was three. He's fine. Although we did find out that he has a second form." Sirius said, hoping to take Moony by surprise. It worked.

"Two forms? Since he was three?" Remus said weakly.

"Yup." Harry said promptly and changed into Tigger.

"A tiger?" Remus said.

"Apparently." Sirius said. "Tigger, do you mind if Remus performs the bonding spell?"

Tigger shook his head no. "Alright Remus, go ahead and perform the bonding spell."

Remus shook his head in wonder. He shrugged his shoulders and performed the spell. "Shall I transform?" He asked.

Tigger nodded and Sirius changed into Padfoot as an answer. "It's been so long, I don't know if I remember how." He said aloud.

'Come on Moony, you can do it, just remember how it feels to change.' Tigger said. (A/N: 'this sort of quote marks' means mind to mind speech.)

'Fine.' Moony said and sat for a moment remembering. After a moment, a wolf appeared. 'Hello, Padfoot old friend.'

'It's been awhile.' Padfoot said.

'Too true.' Moony agreed.

'Shall we instruct Tigger here in the fine art of scaring people shitless?' Padfoot asked. (A/N: I'm ever so sorry if you don't like the swearing in this chapter, but this is the second time I am writing this, as the stupid computer decided to not save, and instead turn off. So I lost fifteen pagges, an entire days work. It's going a bit faster only beecause I know where I'm going. At least that's good.)

'That sounds fun!' Tigger said. 'Who excatly are we going to scare?'

'Tigger, you get Hermione, Moony, you'll get Ron, and I'll explain to Severus and we'll gang up on Draco. Sound good?' Padfoot declared.

'I'm with you.' Moony said.

'I'm good. Can I do magic in this form?' Tigger asked.

'Some.' Moony replied. 'I suppouse you could open your door as it's already been enchanted.'

'Okay. And Moony? It's actually a curse. Technically it's a prison spell, but since I'm in control of it it's sort of more legal.'

'Tigger? Are you putting illegal curses on your door?' Padfoot asked.

'kinda sorta.' Tigger said in response.

'That's my god-son!' Padfoot shouted jubilantly.

'Paddy, you shouldn't be congratulating him, you should be admonishing him.' Moony said reasonaly.

'But Moony, that's your job.' Padfoot pointed out.

'Fine, Tigger you have been a very bad boy, so you go and raise some hell out there!' Moony said before pawing at the door, trying to get out.

'Okay then. Let's run!' Tiger said to the others and waved his right paw and the door creaked open.

Hermione heard Harry's door open and she hastened her step. Was that Remus coming out, or was it Harry coming out? Only one way to find out. Hermione cautiously approached Harry's door and peeked in. Harry's room was empty. That was a good sign. Hermione failed to notice the tiger that was belending in with the shadows until it closed it's massive jaws on her wnad hand.

Oh my god. I'm going to be eaten by a tiger. Wait? Why's it tugging on my hand? It's seems to want me to go in that direction. I suppouse that I should, if I want to keep my hand. Hermione followed walked alongside the tiger with her hand in it's mouth.

Tigger smiled inwardly. He had gotten Hermione! It was so easy. He was going to take her out to the baclony and scare her good, before showing her who he was. Tiger reached the slightly concealed door to the balcony and flicked his paw. As he had hoped, thinking the incantation and flicking his paw had worked. He led Hermione out to the alcony and shut the door and locked the door magically. Tigger let go of Hermione's hand and watched her try the door.

Appaerntly the tiger isn't going to eat me. Yet. Hermione thought. She grabbed a handful of her robes and raised them to her hand to clean the saliva off of it. Funny, the tiger spit gave off a funny odor. Almost like, spaghetti. Strange... Hermione backed into a corner and sat in it resoultly gathering her robes around her. It was going to be a long night...

Tigger just sat there watching Hermione. Why doesn't she curse me or something? He sniffed again. The smell of fear emanating off of Hermione had lessened. Just then, there came a rather high pitched scream from somewhere out on the grounds.

"AUGH! Get back! Someone, HEELLLLP! There's a wolf out here! HELP!"

'Having fun Moony?' Tigger asked.

'I forgot how fun this was.' Moony replied.

'Padfoot, how's it going.' Tiger asked his other friend.

'I'm explaining to Griffy, do you mind if I tell him about you?' Padfoot asked.

'Not at all.' Tigger replied.

Noticing that Hermione had truned away from him, she appeared to be trying to see Ron. Tigger seized the chance and changed back into Harry.

"Hermione? What are you doing out here?" Harry asked, as if he didn't know.

Hermione turned and rushed at Harry and hugged him with all her might. "Oh Harry! There was a tiger. I was so scared, You saved my life." Hermione said breathlessy, apparently he had scared her more than he thought. That almost made Harry feel guilty about what he was going to do.

"A tiger Hermione?" Harry asked, sounding perplexed, but she couldn't see his malicious expression. "Are you sure about that?"

"Yes quite sure." Hermione said, still hugging Harry. A moment later, she was hugging a tiger.

Hermione jumped back in terror. "Harry James POTTER! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?"

Tigger changed back into Harry. "Showing off my animagi skills that's what."

"How long?" Was all Hermione could say.

"Since I was three." Harry grinned at her. Her reply was cut off by another scream from Ron.

"AUGH! A LION! HEEEELLLLPP! SOMEONE?! PLEASE?!" Ron shouted somewhere over to Harry's left.

"Sounds like Griffy caught up with Moony." Harry said, laughing.

"MOONY! HE'S OUT THERE??? NOW? HARRY YOU'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING!" Hermione shouted in desperatione. Apparently her boyfriend was about to become a werewolf, not that she'd love him any less...

"Did I mention that Remus is a wolf animagi? And the full moon was last week?" Harry said dryly.

"Oh. Oops." Hermione looked sheepish.

"Do you mind if I go and join them?" Harry asked her.

"No not at all, just don't scare him too much." Hermione said. Harry grinned in reply and changed into Tigger. Tigger took a running leap and jumped over the waist high wall on the balcony. He landed softly on the grass, and stalked off. He easily found Ron's scent, and could have easily followed it to find him, but decided to ask. 'Hey guys, where's Ron?'

'We've got him corned near the back gate.' Moony replied.

'Yeah. We're right by the pond.' Padfoot replied. I'm staying hidden in the shadows.'

'Okay. Do you mind if I join in?' Tigger asked.

'Hurry up!' Padfoot said.

'Yes please, it looks like he's getting ready to bolt.' Moony added.

'Now we don't want that do we?' Tigger asked and set off at a slow run towards the back gate.

As Tigger rounded the corner, he saw Moony and Griffy facing him. Consequentially, Ron's back was to him. Tigger slowed down and padded silently towards Ron. When he was about five feet away from him, he sat down and curled his tail around his legs and (A/N: Do tigers roar??) roared loudly. Ron whirled around quickly. When his back was to Moony and Griffy, they transformed back into their human forms.

This time, Ron didn't scream. He just stared at Tigger and whimpered. Pitiful. Tigger thought.

"What's the problem Ron? We could hear your screams all the way in the kitchen." Remus asked, trying not to grin.

"My problem?" Ron asked. "Oh not much, only being chased by a wolf and a Lion. Not much. Then being cornered by a tiger." Ron said, his voice wavering a little when he mentioned the tiger.

"What tiger, Mr. Weasley? I fail to see what you mean." Severus said sharply.

"What tiger! The tiger right behind me!" Ron exclaimed, jerking his thumn in Harry's direction.

"What tiger Ron?" Harry said from behind Ron. When Ron whirled around to face Harry, Severus and Remus resumed their animal forms.

"I swear there was a tiger there a few moments ago." Ron said, his voice shaking. It appeared that he was going to say more, but he was a tad but distracted by the lion behind him that made it's presence known with a deafening roar. When Ron turned to face the lion and wolf, Harry changed back into Tigger and waited patiently for Ron to notice him.

'Excellent Harry.' Severus told him. 'I performed the charm when Ron was talking to you.'

'Okay. Isn't this fun?' Tigger asked. 'By the way, name's Tigger.'

'Okay. And I am Griffy. Here's a secret, I rather like the name.' Griffy told him.

'And I' came another voice in Tigger's head, 'Am Rimarin, otherwise known as Draco'

'Okay then. I that every one?' Tigger said nervously.

'Yeah.' Padfoot said.

'I'm getting bored woth this game.' Moony said.

Tigger sniffed the breeze. 'Wait a moment before we reaveal ourelves, I think we're about to get company.'

True to Tigger's word, in a moment, Hermione walked calmly into their presence. There was a snake following along behind her and she was paying it little notice.

"Hello Ron. How are things?" Hermione asked pleasantly, sitting down on the grass next to Harry.

"Just fine, thanks for asking. I always love getting cornered y dangerous animals." Ron said his voice higher than usual..

"Oh they're not vicious." Hermion said, scratching Harry's chin.

Tigger shook his head and tackled Hermione. She laughed and whispered, "Harry, you know that Ron isn't going to appreciate your behaviour."

Tigger just shook his head and proceeded to wash Hermione's face with his tounge. (A/N: My cat does this. It's really annoying when she sits down on the keyboard when I'm typing and cleans her butt, and then proceeds to wash my face for me.)

"Hermione. It's licking you." Ron said, sure that the tiger was going to do worse to her girlfriend.

"I'm fine Ron." Hermione said, pushing Harry off of her. (A/N: He wasn't on on her, he was standing over her.)

Tigger just blinked. He shrugged and curled up to take a nap. 'Games up guys. I'm out, don't let them hurt me please.' Tigger said before drifting off into a cat nap.

"Hello guys. I see Harry is taking a nap." Sirius said, turning back into Sirius and walking out from where he had been watching it all.

"Harry? That's Harry?" Ron asked amazed.

"Yep. Did he forget to tell you that he was a tiger in his spare time?" Severus said, approaching Ron.

"Yes he forgot." Ron said.

"Well scaring people is tiring work. If you don't mind, I'm going to take a nap too." Severus said before changing back into a lion and going over to Harry. After sniffing him to be sure that he was okay, he curled up next to his son and stretched out a paw that he rested on his son's shoulder.

"So Ron. Look at me for a moment." Sirius said. As soon as he got Ron's attention, he pointed his wand at him and hurriedly said '_nudo feara forma Ronald Weasley_' The others watched as Ron's expression changed from fear to a frown, before his face changed shape and he grew fur.

This was the weirdest feeling Ron had ever experienced. Suddenly his body quit changing and Ron twitched a muscle, and to his amazement, he felt something move. He tried to say 'what's happened to me, but it came out as a series of barks and yaps. His vision was then filled with a larger than normal Hermione. Ron backed up fearfully. "Ron, you're a fox." The larger than normal Hermione whispered to him. To his surprise, he felt his ears twitch and move around to pick up more sounds. He could hear Harry and Severus breathing, he heard the wind in the trees and the lapping of the water on the edge of the pond-that-could-be-called-a-lake. Ron shook his head and inhaled. The smells! Over in the bushes there was a chipmunk, and some mice. The mice smelled good. They smelt like food! Ron-the-fox, walked over towards the mice and stumbled a bit. Four legs were harder to control than two. After getting coordinated a bit he returned to stalking the mice. He could hear them burrowing deeper in the mast and he could almost smell them. He licked his lips in anticipation, but just before he could try and pounce on one, he began to change back.

Ron shook his head a bit when he had fully returned to human form, and tried walking, It took a moment to get reacquainted with his set of human limbs, but he did.

"A fox, eh?" Sirius asked.

Ron nodded. He breathed deeply and was a it disappointed with the lack of smells. Remus and Sirius laughed.

"This form has a lack of scents doesn't it?" Sirius said knowingly.

"Yeah. I smelt the most amazing things. I smelt mice and I could find them just by scent—" Ron broke off, horrified by what he had been about to do.

"Ron? It's okay. At first the animal instincts do most of the thinking. It's okay to eat vermin. They actually have a semi decent taste." Remus said quietly. "You should try being forced to transform every full moon and having almost no rational thought, but still have the memories." Remus added, laughing hollowly.

"I'll be fine. I'm sure that I'll get used to it after awhile." Ron said. "Now, let's discuss how I'm going to change into a fox again."

"All you do is remember how it felt to change the first time. You remember he feelings and you will change into a fox again. At first the change will be agonizingly slow, and your form might not last long, but after about a month of practice you should be able to do it any time." Sirius said.

"It took out lab rat two months to learn." Remus pointed out.

Sirius laughed his laugh that was so much like a bark. "Peter, he was out literal lab rat."

"I see. Has Hermione attempted the change yet?" Ron asked.

"Not yet. She wanted to see how you did." Sirius said.

"Yes, and I saw and I'd like to find out now." Hermione said from the rock that was sitting on, skipping stones in the water.

"Fine Hermione, come over her and stand up." Sirius said. He pointed his wand Hermione and muttered '_nudo feara forma Hermione Granger_' Once again, the black jet shot of Sirius' wand and enveloped Hermione.

Hermione stood there bouncing from foot to foot and she couldn't wait to transform. She remembered to pay attention to the sensations, so she would have an easier time transforming on her own. She could feel her bones changing shape and realigning themselves. Some bones disappeared altogether, and she felt herself growing a tail. Her new form was low to the ground. She opened her eyes and looked around. The water in the pond was strangely alluring. After looking at the water lapping gently on the shore, she looked up at Sirius. He saw her glance and nodded. "You're an otter, go for a swim." Hermione nodded and scampered off to the pond. When she heard something in the bushes, instinct took over and she made a run for the pond. As soon as she swam far enough to dive, she took a breath and dived, her nostrils closing instinctively. Now that was an odd sensation. Hermione swan down to the bottom and looked around. There were a lot of interesting things down here. What was that? Hermione asked herself.

She swan closer and realized that it was an old wizard's bike. It had to be a witch or wizard's as it was trundling around the bottom of ht pond on it's own. The old fashioned headlight swung around and caught Hermione in it's glare. The bike, seeing her came after her. Hermione didn't know if its intentions were good or not, but she swan off quickly. With frequent glances over her shoulder, she could see the dim glow of the lamp on the handlebars still following her. Hermione surfaced and looked around. Ah. There was Sirus. He should be able to deal with the bike, Hermione thought, the human part of her mind in control now. She swan quickly at Sirius.

When she got to the shore, she shook off quite a bit of the water off of her fur, and turned around, trying to see if the bike was still chasing her. Yep, she could see it's light coming at her. Great. She walked over to Sirius and stood behind him, her eyes glued on the pond.

"What is it Hermione?" Lupin asked kindly. "Did you see something in the pond the scared you?"

Hermione nodded her head and immediately felt foolish. Why should a simple bicycle scare her?

"Your five minutes are nearly up. Pay attention to the change. Okay?" Sirius told her quietly.

Hermione nodded again to show understanding. She sat patiently and waited for the change back to happen. It happened with warning, it felt exactly like the first time, only in reverse. Only it seemed to go faster this time.

"So, how do you like your form?" Sirius asked her.

"It was fun. Could you tell me how to do it on my own?" Hermione asked.

Sirius smiled. "Sure, if you tell me what scared you in the pond that made you come back out so fast."

"Well there was a bike trundling around by itself." Hermione said shuddering, though she didn't know why.

"Oh that." Sirius said, looking a little uncomfortable. "Sorry about that, we'll tell you how to make it quit following you."

"Yeah, sorry Hermione, we were trying to do something, and we just chucked it in the pond." Lupin said.

"And what were you trying to do?" Hermione asked.

"I'm not sure. It was James' idea, so we are innocent." Sirius said.

"Okay then, so can I work on transforming by myself?" Hermione asked.

"Sure. Ron's over there concentrating. He's been at it for ten minutes." Remus said, pointing towards a somewhat smaller and hairy Ron.

"Okay then." Hermione said. I'm going to go over there." Hermione said, pointing at an arbor with roses trailing over it.

"Okay then. If you feel like you're getting stuck, do something to get our attention." Remus told her. Neither of the three people had noticed Ginny watching them.

She decided that it was the best time to make her presence known as she wasn't too sure of the incantation. "Hello." She said, walking around the corner.

"Ginny! What are you doing here?" Remus asked, moving in front of Sirius.

"I have been sent to stay here if who ever's in charge doesn't mind because apparently I have n Uncle who is deathly ill in St. Mungo's and he requested mum and Dad's presence at his death bed. Strangest thing is that he's an uncle in my mum's side. It's creepy. They've never really paid any attention to us before." Ginny said. "Hello Sirius, I take it you're not dead?" She asked.

"Nope. Still alive. But we're keeping the fact that I'm alive a secret, so kindly don't tell anyone." Sirius said.

"Okay. What's with the tiger and the lion?" Ginny asked.

"That would be Severus and Harry. Harry is the tiger and Severus is the lion." Sirius said. "Before you ask why you brother is sinking slowly and growing fur, he's practicing turning into a fox of his own free will. That's what Hermione's doing over under the arbor."

"Good. That's what I thought. I was watching and that was what it appeared you were doing. It's my turn." Ginny said, standing directly in front of Sirius and staring him in the eye.

"I don't have a choice do I?" Sirius asked.

"Nope." Ginny said.

"Fine." Sirius muttered something about pushy women. He pointed his wand at Ginny and said, yet again, '_nudo feara forma Ginevra Weasley_'

Ginny watched the black light and had to fight instinct to duck. Ginny didn't duck and the spell hit her and she began to change. She felt her nose and mouth molding into one and her eyes moving to the side of her head. Her body got smaller and her legs shorter, her feet changed into four toes and she felt feathers growing out of her skin.

Ginny blinked for a moment, there was something strange about her vision. Then she realized that her eyes had changed place and she was seeing from the sides of her head. So if she wanted to look straight ahead, she had to turn her head. Ginny did that and she saw Sirius. He was crouching down on his knees in her face. He seemed really big. She took a few nervous hops back.

"You're a raven Ginny. A raven, you can fly." Sirius said. "But don't try it until you can master the transformation completely, because you don't know how long you will hold your form. Don't worry Hermione will have the same restriction about swimming." Sirius finished softly.

Ginny thought for a moment and remembered Hedwig perching on Harry's shoulder. She thought for a moment and eyed Sirius' shoulder. Ginny hopped a few times and flapped her wings the last time. She almost made it. She was only about a foot sort. Thankfully Sirius had good reflexes and managed to catch Ginny before she collided rather painfully with the ground. Using her beak, she climbed Sirius' arm and finally got to his shoulder. She stood up and tried to say 'I did it!', but it came out as "Caw caw." (A/N: I'm not sure what sort of noise ravens make.)

Sirius chuckled. Remus sighed and looked at Ginny. "You have to get down onto the ground. I know you're more comfortable up there, but you need to be on the ground when you transform back. Unless you want to fall off of Sirius' shoulder, and possibly hurt him on his first day back in the land of the living."

Ginny glared at Remus and hopped off of Sirius' shoulder, using her wings to glide and landed gracefully. Ginny walked around and realized that there wasn't much difference between this and her human form was the size and the wings and other obvious things. In a few minutes she felt herself begin to change back. Her bones grew rapidly and her facial structure changed. Ginny analyzed the sensations as she experienced them. There was really no description for them, they were just strange.

"So Ginny, how do you like your form?" Sirius asked.

"It's, I don't know. Could I get back to you in a bit?" Ginny said laughing.

"Fine. But let's get everyone in the house. I don't think that they are going to have much success with this tonight." Remus said. Motioning to the others. Harry had woken up and was gazing at Ron, who was about half his normal size and had fur all over him. Hermione was down to otter size, but she couldn't seem to grow fur or get into the otter shape.

"Sirius?" Could you help?" Hermione asked.

"Sure, but let's get you inside." Sirius told her. "Do you mind if I carry you?" He asked.

"I'm not sure if I can walk." Hermione admitted. "My back feet are otter feet and the rest of me is otter size."

Sirius sighed. Peter had gotten into worse predicaments and he and Remus had always been able to sort it out. "Okay then." He crouched down next to Hermione and realized that her clothes hadn't been part of the transformation. "You have to concentrate on your clothes being part of you, or else they get left behind and when you transform back into human shape, you are unclothed." Sirus told her, wrapping Hermione in her robes.

"Okay, I'll remember that. You have no idea how uncomfortable this is." Hermione told Sirius who was now carrying her like she was a baby.

"Actually, I do. The same thing happened to me when I was first learning. Try being carried to the infirmary by your best friend. We had a hard time of it explaining to Madam Pomfrey what had happened to me." Sirius said.

"I remember that Sirius, you were insisting that you could walk, but your feet were a mix of human and dog." Remus said, laughing at the memory.

"Yeah but you had an awfully hard time explaining why you were in wolf form and it wasn't even the full moon." Sirius replied.

"True. That was hard. I don't think that she ever really believed me." Remus said.

"What did you come up with?" Sirius asked.

"Potions accident." Remus said shortly. "Never was any good at potions..."

"Fine. You can carry me." Ron said grumpily from about ten feet behind him.

"What, are you having a hard time walking?" Remus asked innocently. "you insisted that you could do it yourself."

"I was wrong." Ron said, as if it took great effort. "Good, gland that you could admit that." Remus said, before walking back and picking Ron up and resting him on his hip.

"Ron, you look really funny like that?" Hermione said, laughing.

"And you never looked funny as a cat?" Ron said bitterly.

"Hey shut up. At last you have human feet." Hermione said, sticking her feet out of the bundle of robes that she was in. She wiggled her toes.

"Hermione? Are you in there?" Ron asked staring at the small bundle of robes that was Hermione.

"Yes. I managed to get the size and the feet, but not the rest." Hermione said, entertaining herself by wiggling her toes, which took a bit of concentration as they belonged on an otter.

"I almost got the size, and I got the fur." Ron said.

"So do you like your forms?" Ginny asked, forgetting that Ron and Hermione didn't know that she was there.

"Ginny? What are you doing here?" Ron asked, his voice sounding worried.

"Ginny? Oh no! Sirius! Ginny, you mustn't tell anyone about Sirius' presence." Hermione said.

"Yes I know, I've already figured that it out. Especially as I am a raven animagi." She said proudly. "I'm here because an uncle on mum's side requested their presence at his death bed. I have no idea why, so don't even ask Ron."

"I wasn't going to." Ron protested loudly even though he was going to.

"If you do, I'll get a picture of you in your current state and post it all over school." Ginny threatened.

"Good one Ginny." Hermione said. "Sirius, how are we going to get back to normal?" Hermione asked.

"Well, first we are going to wait the night. Hopefully your body will give up the form and you'll return to your normal size. If you are still like this in the morning, we will resort to magic." Sirius said.

Hermione yawned and wiggled a little in Sirius' arms and started drifting off to sleep. By the time they got to her room, she was fast asleep.

Sirius set Hermione on her bed. "Ginny, do you know how to cast a privacy charm?"

"Yeah. Why?" Ginny asked, looking at Sirius curiously.

"Because once I cast the charm to keep her from falling out of bed, she'll need to take her robes off. If my experiences prove correct, she er... won't be wearing much besides being wrapped in her robes. So the privacy charm is to keep people from seeing her if they inadvertently walk into your room. I know that Harry and Draco were planning something to prank someone tonight, so I thought that Hermione might not be wanting to give them an eyeful when she was asleep. Do you understand?" Sirius asked, not wanting to explain it to Ginny again.

"I get it. I'm a girl, and you don't want Hermione to feel violated and she can't be wearing her robes when she transforms back 'cause it might hurt her and I'm the only girl in the entire household besides Lily." Ginny said. "So cast your charm and leave." She said. Sirius nodded thankfully, as he was a bit uncomfortable discussing this with Ginny, and he cast the charm and left hurriedly as it seemed that she had inherited the Weasley temper.

A/N: I think that I will quit here because the chapter is 31 pages long. Okay I'll sum things up. Ron and Hermione are sorta stuck in their partial forms and I do know that the whole everyone-is-an-animagi-plot-twist is a little on the dumb side, but I have my reasons for this. What do you think of Harry's nickname? I think I might have him sign himself Tigger (T-I-double G-Er) What do you think on that? Does any one have any ideas for nicknames for Ron (Fox), Hermione (Otter), and Ginny (Raven). Thanks! And, I figured out a fool proof way to get you to review. Okay? Ready? '_IMPERIO_!' Now go and review. I said Review! You can't all fight it off, Review!. Maybe I should try the incantation again. Oh crap. I'm going off to Azkaban now. I forgot that that curse was illegal. Oh well, maybe I'll escape. Everyone, send me escape tips!

/N2: Thank you to all my lovely reviewers. I love you all so much!

**anno: **I hope that this is soon enough. I'm glad that you love the story.

**Lady Lily3: **Five DAYS? I have absoultely no idea how I'm going to have Sirius find out. Ron's going to find out by accident, sorta how Remus does. oops. That's in the next chapter. Shouldn't have said that. Sorry the update took so long.

**sparkling silver angel wings: **I don't know if I'm going to bring James back. I might bring him back, but if I do, I think that I will have Lily come back as a person, not as a ghost.

**Malach:** Glad you like Lily's return.

Thanks for reading, and the next chapter is 17 pages in my notebook, and i have to type that up, I'm not going to guatentee anything about when the next chapter will be posted, ut I will say that I will try to have it up before the 31. That gives me 8 days, I should be able to handle that.


	13. Look, a pickpocket stole Draco's necklac...

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, and Professor McGonagall does not own Dealing With Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede. I don't either. So there. Don't sue me. Let's just make this cover the entire story okay? Good. Thank you.

"Harry James Potter, if you don't get out of bed this instant you will be sorry." A high pitched voice that was familiar broke through Harry's slumber.

Harry woke up immediately. He looked around his room and his eyes fell on a tall figure with red snake like eyes and what appeared to be slits for nostrils. Harry reached for his wand.

"I don't think so." The person said. '_accio wand_' The figure smiled evilly and laughed.

Harry looked around for a means of escape. He didn't see one.

"So we meet again, Harry Potter. This time I will kill you properly."

Harry thought, oh great. I'm going to die in my pajamas. In my bedroom. On my birthday Bet Dumbledore will like that. I wonder how my funeral will go. Harry wondered.

"Tonks? How's waking Harry up going?" Remus called from downstairs.

"Remus! I was having fun." Tonks called, but unfortunately she forgot to change her voice.

"Harry! Are you okay?" Remus called, hearing the voice and connecting it with a very evil wizard.

"Remus, I'm fine. Tonks is just showing me her idea of a joke." Harry said, glaring at Tonks.

"Well I got him up didn't I?" Tonks asked indignantly.

"Tonks, doing an impression of Voldemort is not a good thing to do to me in the morning." Harry informed her. "Hang around here for a bit. I have an idea."

"What sort of idea?" Tonks asked suspiciously, walking over to Harry's desk and nearly killing herself by tripping over Harry's open trunk.

"You'll see." Harry said before getting a few things that he needed, and going into his bathroom. "You know what?" He asked his mirror. "I'm feeling a bit Slytherin today. So let's make the decor a bit more green."

"Are you sure?" The mirror asked him.

"Yes I'm sure, so could you just find the incantation?"

"Fine." The mirror made a noise that Hermione would recognize immediately, but Harry had yet to place. "Aha. Found it. Okay, the incantation is '_Slytherin viridis ornatio materres_' Happy?" The mirror asked.

Harry raised a hand, and muttered the words and waved the hands in an exact swirl. "Yep. I'm happy." Harry said, taking in the now green marble counter and the snake faucets, and dark green tile. Harry noticed with a smile that there were snakes engraved into the tile. Harry stripped and stepped into the shower. The water turned on automatically, and was at just the right temperature. Harry was glad of the mirror that he told him most of the spells that he had used in his room. Enchanted bathrooms were nice.

Before washing his hair, Harry felt it to try and figure out if it was getting greasy. He couldn't tell if it was his imagination, but it seemed greasier. Harry finished washing and dried off using a drying charm, which was faster than towel drying. Harry pulled on a fresh set of robes that he had brought with him, and stepped into his room.

It looked very Slytherin.

"I didn't do anything." Tonks said hurriedly. "It just happened."

"I know, I did it. I got bored with what I had it decorated with before." Harry said, lounging on his bed.

"What about this prank you mentioned?" Tonks asked,

"Well I thought it over and decided that it wasn't worth it." Harry said.

"I suppose it probably wouldn't have been." Tonks replied. "Are you excited about your birthday party?" Tonks asked.

"Not really. I've never had a birthday celebration before, so it will be strange." Harry said honestly

"What's it like having Severus as a guardian?" Tonks asked curiously, assuming that Harry knew.

"What do you mean by that?" Harry asked sharply, sitting up.

"Well Dumbledore said, now that your relatives gave up custody of you, and that Sirius is dead, Severus got custody of you." Tonks explained.

"Is that all Dumbledore said about that?" Harry asked.

"He did say that we might be surprised after a while." Tonks told Harry. "Perhaps you know why?"

"I can't tell you, you'll just have to wait with everyone else and find out when they do." Harry told Tonks loftily.

"It was worth a try." Tonks said, sounding genuinely disappointed.

"I have my own question. Why are you here?" Harry asked.

"I'm here to make sure that you don't run off and skip your birthday party." Tonks told Harry.

"And why would I do that?" Harry asked tersely.

"Apparently Dumbledore thinks that since the party was his idea and you and him aren't on the best of terms with him, he thought that you might decide to skip the party and run off." Tonks told him.

"I won't run off, because I don't want to disappoint my friends. Harry said reasonably.

"That's what I thought." Tonks said.

"True. Do you know how we're getting there?" Harry asked.

"I believe that we are taking a portkey to Hogsmeade." Tonks informed him.

"Do you think that we could go early and maybe shop for a bit?" Harry asked.

"I guess that'd be okay." Tonks said.

"Good." Harry replied. "Who's awake?" Harry asked.

"Everyone." Tonks answered. "Ron, Hermione, and Ginny flooed in a while ago."

"Joy. So how many of us are going to be using the portkey?" Harry wanted to know.

"I'm not sure. Why don't you go down and have some breakfast?" Tonks suggested.

"Food. That sounds good." Harry replied.

Tonks laughed and followed Harry downstairs. When Harry opened the swinging door to the kitchen, he was greeted with a loud chorus of Happy Birthday.

"Oh God, why did I even come down." Harry muttered to himself. Harry noticed that 'greasy git' Severus was back.

"Good Morning, Mr. Potter." Severus said icily. "I see that you have taken the luxury of sleeping in."

Harry knew that it was all an act because Tonks was there, so he played along. "Yes. It is my birthday and I was up rather late last night.  
Harry replied, his tone of voice rivaling Severus'.

"Harry, Severus, will you let the rest of us eat in peace? I am tired of your constant arguing." Remus said, playing along as well.

Harry and Severus continued to eat in silence for the duration of the meal. When Harry thought that no one was looking, he grinned at his father. Severus grinned back and mouthed, 'my room?'

Harry nodded. He hurriedly ate the last few bites of his pancakes and looked at Tonks. "Tonks?" He snapped.

"Yes?" She asked, wondering why Harry was in a mood.

"What time are we leaving?" Harry asked.

"Eleven, and the party's not until 11:30." Tonks replied.

"Thanks." Harry said, before abruptly getting up and storming out of the kitchen.

"What's his problem?" Tonks asked the group.

"It has something to do with being forced to live in the same house as Professor Snape, and the fact that Dumbledore sent someone to baby sit him." Ron said.

"But, on Monday he seemed fine." Tonks pointed out.

"Oh, on Monday, he was being diplomatic. He said that he didn't want everyone knowing all of his problems." Ron said.

"Ah. He wants to have a few secrets." Tonks said, knowingly.

"Yeah, that's be it." Draco said, having an idea of how Harry felt, as he hadn't been allowed secrets at his home.

"Okay." Tonks looked around and noticed that Severus was missing. "Where'd Severus go?"

"I suppose that he went up to his room to think of new reasons to get out of being Harry's guardian." Lily said, knowing that he had gone to go and talk with Harry.

"Okay." Tonks replied. "Anyone want to play exploding snap?" She asked, pulling a deck of cards out of her midnight blue robes with stars on them.

Ron, Hermione, and Draco all agreed. Remus started the dishes washing themselves magically, and left the kitchen.

"I can't believe him!" Harry said, pacing in his fathers room that was mainly dark colors. "Why couldn't he trust me to come!"

"I don't know why Harry. It drive me mad to know how he treats people." Severus agreed. At that moment, Remus was just at the end of the hall and they had neglected to put a silencing charm on the room.

"Not to mention that fact that you're my father! One would think that Dumbledore would trust you enough to drag me to a stupid birthday party." Harry said loudly.

"True." Severus agreed. "I was going to make you go."

"That's not the point. I was going to go of my own free will. It's the fact that he couldn't trust me to go to my own birthday party! He didn't even trust my father to take me to it. If he doesn't really trust you, who does he actually trust?" Harry said, not knowing that Remus had heard a great deal of the conversation.

Severus opened his mouth to reply, but was cut short by a knock on the door. "Who's there?" Severus asked.

"Remus." Came the voice on the other side of the door.

"Okay then." Severus opened the door to admit Remus, but then he noticed the expression on Remus' face. "What's wrong Remus?" Severus asked, concerned about his friend.

"You." Remus spat out, slowly advancing on Severus. "What did you do?" Remus hissed, stepping closer to Severus.

"What do you mean, 'What did you do?'" Severus asked, sounding a little confused.

"On my way up here I heard the most interesting thing come out of Harry's mouth. A thing concerning you." Remus said, getting closer to Severus.

"Oh. Well, that." Severus said, laughing nervously. "Turns out that I happen to be Harry's father. Came as quite a shock really." Severus said, his voice a little higher than usual.

Remus blanched and sat down on the end of Severus' bed. "Is this true?" He asked.

"Yes, Remus, it's true. My father isn't James, it's Severus. If it helps, James adopted me and, he knew and he was okay with it." Harry said nervously.

"I find it hard to believe that James was okay with Lily cheating on him." Remus said, not believing either of them.

"Well, technically, Lily didn't cheat on James. Harry was conceived the day before Lily and James were married. You do remember that Lily and I were engaged once?" Severus asked.

"Yes." Remus said.

"The week before their wedding when Lily was in hiding, she was hiding in my manor, and well, one day we got to talking about the past, and one thing led to another." Severus said quietly.

"Er, Severus? Could you wait for me to leave before you start to talk about this subject." Harry asked. "I'll just be going to my room and seeing if there is something that is decent for me to wear to my party."

"Oh, Harry, Tonks brought some robes over for you. I put them on your bed." Remus said.

"Thanks." Harry said, before walking towards the door.

"Harry?" Remus said quietly. "How are you with this?"

"Right now I am fine with it, I'm actually pretty happy. I'm not very sure about the school year."

"Why?" Severus asked.

"Well, up until about a few weeks ago, you were suppoused to hate me, which has obviously changed, and unless Voldie decides that all of you should be nice to me, you will have to keep up appearances and still pretend to hate me." Harry said logically.

"That would be a problem. Unless I come out and claim you as my son." Severus said.

"No. That would put your position as a spy in jeopardy. I just found you , and I don't want to lose you." Harry said quietly.

"So would the secrecy factor be why you didn't tell me?" Remus asked.

"Yeah, So far only Hermione, Draco, Dumbledore and now you know." Harry said.

"Why does Draco know?" Remus asked.

"I messed with a prank meant for Harry. It had, interesting side effects. One of them being that it made you tell the truth."

"Thanks. I always love to miss out on a prank meant for me." Harry said smugly.

"Yeah, but that pulled me into the prank war." Severus said menacingly.

"I'm dead." Harry said. "Unless... Could I join your team?" Harry asked.

"Nope." Severus said smugly. "The first generation of the marauders against the second."

"Okay then. Just remember where my Tri-wizard winnings went." Harry said with a grin.

"Whewre did they go?" Severus asked.

"I'm not telling." Harry said. "Remus, do you know who Dumbledore has invited?" Harry asked, thinking that Remus might know because he had been at Hogwarts the day before.

"I have a general idea." Remus said.

"Would you mind telling me?" Harry asked torn between wanting to know and not wanting to know.

"Sure. All the Hogwarts professors are invitied, all the Order members are, and some of your friends are." Remus said brightly.

"That reallly helps." Harry said sarcastically. "Severus, do you know how fast the change is going to go?"

"I have no idea. Neither does Lily." Severus replied.

"Change?" Remus said blankly.

"I look like James, and Severus is my father, why don't I look like Severus?" Harry said pointedly.

"Lily charmed him to look like James." Severus explained.

"I'm going to have a word with Lily." Remus said.

"Could it wait until after my party?" Harry asked.

"Of course." Remus replied.

"Speaking of parties, shouldn't we be going downstairs?" Severus asked.

"Not until you put on your dress robes." Remus said. "Did I forget to mention that?"

"Yes." Severus grumbled.

"Maybe my dress robes won't fit anymore." Harry said.

"You can only hope." Severus said. "Sadly, as I haven't gotten any taller in the last few years, I can't hope for the excuse."

Harry stuck his tounge out at Severus

"By the way Harry, I was sent to get you some dress robes." Remus said. "I put them on your bed. They are charmed to fit and you can make the color change to go with the occasion. I believe that there is a parchment describing it." Remus said, fighting the urge to laugh at the expression on Harry's face. He was truly Severus' son.

"Gee, thank Remus." Harry said sarcasticaly, before leaving the room and going to his own.

"He is truly your child Severus." Remus informed him. "He has your attitude, and is good at twisting the truth."

"Yeah, remember when he got ahold of the marauder's map?" Severus asked.

"I nearly died laughing." Remus informed him.

"I had a hard time not laughing. Do you mind if I unlock Griffy from his prision on the map?"

"No not at all. I would ask Harry about that sometime."

"That I will." Severus said, before opening the wardrobe that was magically tied to his wardrobe at Hogwarts and reached in for a dress robe.

Harry looked at the robes and decided on plain black with a dark green shimmer to them. There was a knock on Harry's door and Harry let Sirius in. Harry sat on his desk and exaimened his hair in a hand mirrior.

"I'm coming to your birthday party." Sirius said.

"Really? I find that hard to believe as Mad Eye is likely going to be there." Harry said.

"I won't be under an invisibility cloak. I'll be in plain sight." Sirius said, grinning.

"Really?" Harry arched an eyebrow at Sirius.

"Don't do that. It makes you look like Severus." Sirius said. "I'll be going as a snake. I never told the order or anyone else that I had that ability. I can be a birthday gift from someone." Sirius said before transforming into a medium sized black snake.

'Isn't it great?' Sirius asked.

'Yeah, bloody wonderful.' Harry said.

'Now don't get all jealous. I think that I'll give your robes a nice touch.' Sirius said before wrapping himself around Harry's arm.

Harry ended up with Sirius' head resting on Harry's right shoulder, and his body wrapped around his left arm. Harry shrugged and went downstairs. As he had thought they were all in the kitchen.

"Ooh. Nice robes Harry." Tonks said, looking Harry up an down.

"Give it a rest Nymphadora, he's too young for you." Severus snapped at her.

"Can we leave yet?" Harry asked, wanting to get it over as soon as possible.

"If we're all here?" Tonks asked, pulling a rolling pin out of her robes.

"Let's get out of here." Harry said before laying a finger on the end of the portkey.

"Gather round everyone, just a finger will do." Tonks said, making sure that everyone was touching the portkey.

"I like the robes Harry. The snakes a nice touch." Draco said.

Severus' eyes widened at the sight of the snake whose tail was resting on the portkey.

"On three then?" Tonks asked. "One... Two... Three... SpongeBob Squarepants." (A/N: the activation phrase thinga-ma-bob.) Harry felt the familiar feeling of a hook being jerked from somewhere behind his navel, and he closed his eyes. When Harry opened them again, he was in a familiar cave.

'Now this cave is almost like home!' Sirius said.

'Shut up.' Harry hissed back.

'Is that any way to talk to your god-father? The one who you will be living with when I get my name cleared?' Sirius asked.

'There might be a little problem with your plan, Sirius.' Harry hiss at his god-father.

'What?' Sirius asked.

'A while ago, we found another relative. I may end up living with him.' Harry said.

'Who?' Sirius asked.

'Not now, I'll tell you later.' Harry said. 'We are going to Hogsmeade, and let's try to appear normal.' Harry told Sirius.

"You? Normal?" Draco asked. "I don't think that's possible." Draco said.

"You understand Parseltounge?" Harry asked.

"I learned the language when I was young." Draco said.

"Who from?" Tonks asked, geniuenly interested.

"Dear Aunt Bellatrix." Draco said.

"She spaeks Parseltounge?" Tonks asked.

"Runs in the Black family. Only the women seem to be able to get it though." Draco said offhandedly.

"Fun." Ron said.

"Why did we come so early?" Severus asked.

"Because, Harry wanted to get some shopping done." Tonks said. "We have to stick together. So buck up and lets get some shopping done!" Tonks exclaimed before setting out towards Hogsmeade at a fasted pace.

Severus and Remus muttered something about women and shopping, and reluctantly set off after the females in the group who seemed to be drawn towards the shops with a force that seemed to repel the men.

"We should start heading up to the castle now." Tonks said brightly.

"I don't know. Could we got to the shrieking shack?" Harry asked.

"Just for a bit." Tonks agreed.

"Harry?" Remus asked. "Are you sure about that?"

"Yep. Closure." Harry said as an explination. Not mentioning that he planned to ditch them by going though the passage.

The group walked hastily up the path towards the Shrieking Shack. "Are you sure that you want to go up there?" Draco asked, nervously. "It's suppoused to be haunted."

"Draco, if I didn't know you better, I'd say you were scared." Sirius hissed at him.

"Shut up you silly snake." Draco said back in human tongue.

"Silly? What do you mean by that?" Sirius hisssed back.

"Nothing." Draco said lightly, striding ahead of the group.

"I don't know about you, but I'm just going to go and have a look around the building." Harry said. He walked ahead of the group and jumped over the low fence, ignoring their cries for Harry to come back. Harry walked around a corner and pulled his invisibility cloak out of one of the pockets in his dress robes and put it on. Harry smiled and climed in through a window. Once Harry was inside of the house, he went to the room that had the tunnel that led to the school in it. He didn't have much time; he could hear their voices getting louder. Harry crouched down as he entered the tunnel. Walking a quickly as possible turned out to be hazardous as he fell and rolled down a steep bit in the tunnel.

"May I ask why are we sneaking off?" Sirius hissed at Harry

"Yeah. I'm sneaking off, because I want to avoid whatever distraction Fred and George have surely set up at the gates." Harry hissed back. "Would you mind telling the others?"

"Not at all." Sirius hissed back. Harry walked along the tunnel towards the school. "They're coming." Sirius hissed. "Moony and Griffy and a little angry with me for coming. And not telling them about this form." Sirius hissed at him.

"All the more reason to hurry." Harry said, walking a bit faster.

"Harry!" Hermione called, her voice echoing up and down the tunnel.

"Ugh. Almost there, I think." Harry muttered, feeling ahead of him for the end. There it was. He pushed at the top of the tunnel, and it opened, letting in a bit of light. Harry hurriedly reached for the knot and pressed it. Thankfully the branches of the tree froze and Harry pulled himself out of the tunnel.

"How does going to Hagrid's first sound?" Harry asked.

"Just great. I'm sure he'd love to see a large snake." Sirius hissed at him sarcastically.

"Good." Harry said, deliberately not picking up on the sarcasm. Harry walked quickly over to Hagrid's door and knocked on it.

"Who there?" Hagrid asked, opening the door and wildly looking around, Harry slipped past Hagrid and waited for him to close the door. Hagrid closed the door and muttered something unintelligible.

"It's me Hagrid. I'm under my cloak." Harry said.

"Ah! Harry. It's good to see you. If you would take the cloak off?" Hagrid asked, looking around his cabin.

"Over, here, by the table." Harry said, pulling his cloak off. "I'm hiding from people." Harry said.

"Don't want to go to your own birthday party?" Hagrid asked. (A/N: I'm sorry, I just can't do the accent. I know it's one if the things that makes the books what they are, but I just can't do it.)

"Yes." Harry said, trying to look ashamed, but he couldn't manage it. "It's more, like I'm nervous, and I've never had a birthday party before, and I..." Harry trailed off, not sure what to say.

"It'll be okay, Harry. They're fun, and just between you and me, people have been sending you things for your birthday ever since you defeated you-know-who, it all came to Hogwarts and Dumbledore's been saving it up for when you were of age." Hagrid whispered to him.

"Really?" Harry asked, his voice not betraying the turmoil he felt inside. Part of it was astonishment at the people cared, and part of it was rage, that Dumbledore had never bothered to tell him.

"Yep, really." Hagrid said brightly. Someone knocked at the door. "Well, I seem to be getting quite a few visitors today." Hagrid said, going to open the door.

Hermione was at the door with the others. "Hello Hagrid, by any chance, have you seen Harry?" She asked.

"Yeah. He came in here a bit ago. He was a bit nervous about his birthday party, so I had a it of a chat with him, and I think he'll be going." Hagrid said, moving over to Harry and gently nudging him towards the door.

"Wotcher, Harry. Thought you'd decided to skip out of your party." Tonks said, getting a firm hold of Harry's robes and starting off towards the castle with him. "C'mon, the ice cream is probably melting." She said eagerly, walking faster, forcing to others to keep up with her and Harry.

"Is it necessary to drag me to the castle?" Harry asked through gritted teeth.

"You tried to skip your party once, so we're not going to let you do that again." Remus said, laughing a little.

"I could always have my snake bite you." Harry said, knowing that Sirius wouldn't do any such thing.

"We don't care." Tonks said. "Oh look! Dumbledore." She said, bringing their attention to the old wizard, walking towards them.

"Ah good. You have arrived. I was beginning to worry when Fred informed me that you hadn't arrived at the gates yet." Dumbledore said in greeting.

"Well Professor, we decided to use another entrance because Harry didn't want to risk what ever Fred and George had planned." Hermione said.

"I suppose that is wise Miss Granger." Dumbledore said, thinking of what had happened to Professor McGonagall when she was returning from Hogsmeade. "Professor McGonagall had the unfortunate pleasure of being a lab rat for Fred and George. She was most displeased at the effects. Pink and purple flashing hair didn't suit her."

"They did that?" Remus asked, laughing. "I can think of something worse."

"Yes, so can I. It would be most unfortunate for word of the particular week to leak out." Albus said, recalling an incident. He dearly hoped that he had acquired all of the photos of the event.

Harry felt for the vial of potion he had in his pocket. This was going to be fun.

"Harry! You're here! I'm so glad that you could come." Molly said, rushing over to hug him.

"Yes I am here." Harry said, not adding that he almost wished that he wasn't here. "I'm glad that you could come."

Molly let Harry go and gave Ron a hug and Ginny too. To everyone's surprise she a gave Draco a hug. "I'm so sorry for what happened." She told him.

"Er, I don't mean to be rude, but what happened, other than me getting kicked out of my home?" Draco asked, looking confused.

"You haven't heard?" Molly asked, her eyes going wide. "Well, the aurors caught quite a few Death Eaters. Your father was one. I'm so sorry, but he was questioned under veritaserum and was given the" Molly sniffed.

"Oh so they got him?" Draco asked. "Did the dementors kiss him?"

Molly nodded unable to speak, it was so awful for the boy to lose his father.

"Good riddance then, I say." Draco said, surprising everyone. Noticing their surprised stares, he said. "The past few weeks, I've spent living in a home where someone cared about me. I came to see my father not as my father, but as someone not worth knowing for how he treated me." Draco said. "I decided that I want to join the light. I refused the Dark Mark and I paid for it, by losing my family. I highly doubt that my father even cared about me, and all he saw me as, was something to further forward his rank as a Death Eater." Draco finished.

Mrs. Weasley sniffed and hugged Draco again. "You poor boy." She murmured. Draco looked embarrassed.

Arthur noticed this and said, "Molly dear, I think you're crushing him. He's joined the light, you don't want to scare him back to the dark." He said.

Molly immediately let him go. "Draco dear, if you ever need anywhere to go, it's not the best place, but we can always make a it of space for you in our home." Molly said.

"Thank you." Draco said. "I never thought that people would actually care. It's all been a bit of a shock."

"Mum! What have we told you about scaring poor innocent little boys!" Fred told his mum.

"Now, Fred, every child is entitled to a little love in his life." Molly said, striding over to her son. She hugged him tightly. "Now you never forget, no matter how big you get, you'll always be the little boy who ran around starkers screaming about the garden gnomes." She said, aiming to embarrass her son, and hitting the spot directly.

"MUM! Did you have to say that in front of everyone?" Fred asked, his cheeks a brilliant shade of red.

The others were snickering. Harry hadn't noticed, as he was giving a vial to Dobby and instructing to lace the food with it. While the others were occupied, Harry put up the large picture of the head table with a permanent sticking charm, and concealing it.

"Why don't we eat some of the lovely fare that the house elves have prepared?" Dumbledore asked, motioning towards the table that now had food piled on it. Harry saw where his friends were sitting and used a spell to put the potion that countered the first in their goblets. Saw that the others that had gone to the ministry with him were here. "Hello Luna, Neville. I'm glad that you could come."

"Yeah, me too Harry." Neville said, getting a sandwich from a tray the was slowly moving up and down the table.

"How did your..." Harry trailed off, not sure how to ask the question.

"How did Gran feel about the whole ministry fiasco?" Neville finished for him.

"Yeah, that." Harry said.

"She was proud, but a little disappointed about Dad's wand. When I went to visit Mum and Dad at the start of the holiday, they showed some response. They say that they might be starting to recover!" Neville said happily.

"Do you think it might have something to do with being stuck in the same ward as Lockhart?" Ron asked.

Neville laughed. "It just might. I have no idea how we managed to tolerate him for a year."

Hermione made an indistinguishable noise in the back of her throat.

"Yes Hermione?" Ron asked.

"Nothing. I like you." Hermione said, patting Ron's hand.

"Trying to figure out why you fancied him?" Harry asked.

Hermione kicked him under the table. "No, trying to figure out why I didn't realize he was a fraud."

"Ah." Luna said. "He was most annoying."

"Hello, Luna, are you having a nice summer?" Ginny asked pleasantly from across the table.

"It's been okay. Because the Death Eaters could be after me and Neville, we've been in hiding." Luna said.

"I'm sorry, I know that's not always fun." Harry said.

"It's been okay. Neville and I are together." Luna said from behind a copy of the Quibbler. The others looked at Neville who was blushing.

"She's actually quite nice..." He said, looking at his plate.

"Congratulations, Neville." Hermione said.

"Yeah." Ron added.

"You guys make a good couple." Harry added.

"That's everyone except for Harry and Ginny." Ron said, looking from Harry to Ginny.

"Ron. You'll let them get together on their own, and they don't have to go out with each other." Hermione told her boyfriend gently.

"I know that Hermione." Ron told her.

"I'm sure." Hermione said sarcastically.

Any reply that Ron voiced, they weren't able to hear, due to a loud shriek from Professor McGonagall. Harry had to try to look shocked. "Albus! Look at me!" She shouted.

"Yes, Minerva, I rather like what you've done with your hair. Makes a good statement." Dumbledore said jovially, trying not to laugh.

"A STATEMENT?" She asked. "You call foot long scarlet spikes, a STATEMENT? If you are under the impression that I did this to myself you are royally worng! It just happened like when..." Minerva stopped suddenly. She was not goingt to bring up that event.

"When what?" Geroge asked her, which turned out to be a mistake.

"Did you do this?" She asked, doing a good impression of a bomb about to explode.

"No proffessor, Fred and I didn't do this. We learned yesterday not to mess with your hair." George said.

Suddenly there was a large boom, and everyone jumped. On the wall, words were being written by an unseen hand. 'Beware. Such terror has never been seen before at Hogwarts. You are warned. Professors and students alike flee at the very mention of us. Pranksters bow and cower at out feet. You have been warned. The Marauders have returned to Hogwarts.' The writing stopped and Fred and George turned to look at Remus.

"Innocent." He said. "I think there's more, the marauders usually sign their messages." True to his words, there was more.

Mr. Moony says hello, would like to say that this is going to be a fun year.

Mr. Prongs would like to add that there will be some warning for some pranks.

Mr. Padfoot is wondering if to wait until term starts to begin terrorizing people.

Mr. Wormtail bids you all good-bye, for he is a traitor and will be leaving.

Mr. Griffy is back! All shall run from me, for I have new tricks and pranks in my arsenal.

Miss Lily, and now, introudcing for the very first time, the newest member!

Mr. Tigger says hello, and watch your step this year for there are new commrades and this will be a fun year. For the marauder's that is!

Maniacal laughter filled the great hall as the words faded from sight. Fred and Geroge looked happy and were trying to find a reason for them to be at Hogwarts. Remus looked a little frightened, and Severus was glowering at Harry. Harry was doing his best to look innocent, but he wasn't doind a good job. Minerva was resting her head in her hands, and Tonks was trying to get her hair to match the transfiguration's teachers. Dumbledore looked amused and was wondering who Tigger was.

"Oh my!" Dumbledore said. "This is different from last time." He said, examining his beard. The others crowded in around him.

"It appears to be a map." Severus said.

"Oy!" fred said. "Let me see that." Fred and George drew their wands and made their way to Dumbledore. "I do believe it is." Fred said to George.

"It is. We can't have that." George said.

"No we can't." Fred commented. "It wouldn't do."

"No it wouldn't" George agreed. "You do the honors."

"Okay." Fred placed the tip of his wand on Dumbledore's beard and muttered, mischief managed.

The map on Dumbledore's beard disappeared. Dumbledore looked a little disappointed, but decided to question Fred and George about that later. Because "Now it's time for presents!" Dumbledore said and he led the group to a room that had a low table and a number of comfortable chairs. In the corner was a large pile of presents.

Harry stared at the room and looked around it. It seemed familiar, but he couldn't place it. Severus glanced around the room and glared at Dumbledore. What was he doing, making a replica of the Potter's sitting room! Remus was having a similar reaction. He wanted to rip Dumbledore limb from limb for doing this. Why did he do this? Molly looked around the room and the memories it brought back. Arthur looked around at the room and sighed. It was exactly how it had been. Fred and George thought that the room looked familiar, but they couldn't place it. Dumbledore wondered if it was a mistake to show them this room. This set of rooms had been especially created for when Lily and James had needed it. There were four doors going off of the room. On led to the room where Lily and James had slept, another was Harry's and the third was a bathroom.

"Albus. Why is this room here?" Remus asked in a choked voice, he was caught between wanting to rip the old man's throat out and breaking down in tears.

"This is where Lily lived when James was out on a mission. She had made it like this. I haven't been in here for years. I thought that Harry would like to see it." Dumbledore said quietly.

Harry just sat down. So that was why the room was familiar. His mum had been here, lived in these rooms. Probably was stuck in these room so any Death Eaters in school didn't know she was here. "Well, this is most interesting." Harry said, hiding his rage at Dumbledore. Why hadn't he shown him the rooms sooner? It would have been a comfort to be able to come down here and to know that his mum had been in this very room. Harry took a few deep breaths and concentrated on clearing his mind.

"Why don't we get to those presents?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes. There seems to be quite a pile of them." Harry said, giving Dumbledore a chance to explain.

"Quite a few of them are from Hogwarts staff and some are from the various people at the minisrty, and some more are from admirers. Mad-Eye and myself looked over all of them to make sure that none of them had anything unpleasant in them." Dumbledore explained.

"Thank you for that." Harry said. "Now, let's start with the gifts from friends." Harry said. The first gift was one from Hermione. It was, as he had suspected, a book.

"It's really good, Harry. I think it might help you." Hermione said eagerly.

"I might have to borrow that one Harry." Remus said, looking at it.

The next one was from Neville and Luna. "When Gran heard about the party, she remembered that my parents were friends with your parents and she probably had a load of photos." Neville explained. "Luna and I made it."

It was another photo album. Harry flipped thorough it quickly. There were photos of his Lily and James, but Severus was in quite a few of them too. "Thanks Neville. I got you something, because someone told me that your birthday was near mine." Harry pulled a wrapped gift from his robes. "It's really two parts. I thought that you would enjoy it." Neville unrapped the book. "It's a muggle book, but I thought that It would help. Nearly Headless Nick has the other part." Nick made his presence known.

"See, Neville, we recently found out that the killing curse makes food edible for ghosts. We first tried it on a peach, and we ended up with a peach pit. Would you like to help make it grow? I'm not good with plants and Professor Sprout doesn't really have the time." Nick explained.

"Of course." Neville exclaimed. "If Harry doesn't mind, could you show it to me now?"

"Sure, if Harry doesn't mind." Nick said.

Harry laughed. "I don't mind at all. Just don't get lost." Harry said.

"Thanks Harry!" Neville said, before following Nick out of the room.

The next gift was from Ron, not surprisingly, it was a quidditch book.

"Thanks Ron. It looks interesting." Harry said.

"Here Harry. This one's from us, it won't explode or do anything else." Fred said, tossing Harry a large box.

Even thought they had said that it wouldn't explode, Harry opened the box very cautiously. When it didn't explode, Harry took the lid off. The box was full of candy. There was a note on top of it.

Harry-

This is just a little bit of out newest things. We thought that they would make a great gift. If you look closely, you can see that all of them are labeled. But, don't worry. They are specially labeled, so only you can read them.

Gred and Feorge

Harry grinned and thanked them. Harry reached for the next gift and continued in this fashion for a while. After a while, Luna left to go and find Neville because they had to go back to where they were hiding, and a few others left for some reason or other.

"I hate to say it, but isn't it a little late?" Harry asked.

"Wow. How'd it get to be so nine o'clock?" Ron said.

"I have no idea." Harry told his friend. "Professor Dumbledore? Just how many gifts were there?"

"About ten years worth." Dumbledore said, praying that Harry wouldn't get mad.

"Would that be why the gifts were getting so they would suit an eight year old?" Harry asked.

"Yeah. We donated the clothes and some of the toys to St. Mungo's for the children who lost their parents in the war." Dumbledore said.

"Thanks. That was kind of you, But why didn't I hear of this sooner?" Harry asked.

"Well, I always meant to tell you, but things kept getting in the way and the house elves just took any gifts and sorted them, if they were something you could use later in life, then it was kept and if it was something age related, it got sent to someone who could use it." Dumbledore said.

"I suppouse that this makes sense." Harry said. "I think that it would be nice to have something to eat."

"Yes, that would be nice. Most of the others went out to talk or they had to leave. All that's here is your closest friends and your guardian. I believe that I will go down to the kitchens and have the elves bring some food." Dumbledore said.

"Thanks, that would be great." Hermione said. "In fact, I think that the rest of us will go with you." Hermione said, glancing around the room, and seeing that there was only Fred, George, Ron, Draco, and herself, left in the room. Hermione had Sirus wrapped around her because, the same room was starting to get boring.

"That sounds excellent, Miss Granger." Dumbledore said, herding the rest out of the door. "Now did I ever tell the time when..." Dumbledore's voice died out as he got further away from the room.

"I think she left us alone for a reason." Severus said.

"Yeah." Harry sad, surveyung the pile of stuff that he had decided to keep. "Do you have any idea what do with all of this?" Harry asked.

"No." Severus replied. "I had no idea that Albus did this." Severus said, trying to find out if Harry was anrgy.

"I'm not mad, it's more why didn't he tell me earlier." Harry said. Getting up and moving to sit next to Severus. Severus put an arm around Harry and sighed.

"I did get you something. It been in the Snape family for generations. It was given to me on my sixteenth birthday, and I'd like to give it to you, even if you don't accept me as your father." Severus said and shifted, pulling a small box out of his robes. "Here."

"Thanks." Harry said.

Severus chickled. "You don't even know what it is."

"Sorry, saying thanks has become a reaction to when anyone hands me anything today." Harry opened the box. Inside was a beauiful pendandt. "It's beautilful." Harry said.

"I'm glad you think so. It's the family crest. The chain is mithril." Severus said softly. "The hawk's eyes are diamonds, and I have asoultely no idea what the sort of metal he is made out of, but it's pretty." Severus said softly.

"Thank you. I really like it. Does it have any magical properties?" Harry asked, gazing at the hawk. It was sitting on a tree branch and it seemed to be looking at Harry directly.

"It does. You have to find those out on your own." Severus said.

"I can do that. I'll put it on my to do list." Harry said before turning and hugging Severus.

"What else is on your to do list?" Severus asked.

"Tell my friends about the prophecy, kill Voldemort, tell Ron the truth, try and live past my seventh year, get DA meetings planned again. Some other things too, but that's just about it."

"What prophecy?" Severus asked.

"Oh, you don't know about that?" Harry asked.

"No, or else, I wouldn't be asking." Severus said.

"Well the prophecy is why Voldemort decided to attack the Potters. 'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord apporaches....born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies....and the dark lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the dark lord knows not....and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives....the one with the power to vanquish the dark lord will be born as the seventh month dies.'" Harry said. "It basically means that I am the only one who can defeat the Dark Lord. Kill or be killed."

Severus stared at his son. "Harry." He said sadly, his son had to either kill Lord Voldemort or be killed by him. "That's awful..." Severus said, giving Harry a hug.

"It's not that bad. I don't think about it that much. Every once in a while I dream about it, so it's just there, but not really a big part of my life." Harry said.

"Thanks for telling me." Severus said.

To Harry's great embarresment, Harry started to cry. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to cry, I'm just so happy." Harry said.

"It's okay." Severus said, gently rubbing Harry's back. "Sometimes a good cry helps a lot. Just let it out."

"Thanks." Harry sniffed.

"Shhhh. You don't have to say thanks, I'm your father, I'm suppoused to be there for you." Severus said.

"I suppose you are. I'm sort of new with the whole having a father thing." Harry said.

"Well, I'm new at the having a son thing." Severus replied. Neither of them noticed Hermione dragging Ron away from the door, with her hand clasped firmly over his mouth.

"Professor? I need you to do something for Ron." Hermione said to Dumbledore pulling him into a dimly lit classroom.

"What would the be Miss Granger?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes twinkling.

"To oblivaite him." Hermione said.

"And why would that be?" He asked the twinkle dimming a little.

"He overheard a conversation that he shouldn't have." Hermione said grimly, motioning towards Ron who was shaking uncontrollably. "He can't handle it, sir."

"So I take it he learned the truth and he can't handle it?" Dumbledore said sadly.

"Yes." Hermione said, looking at Ron.

For the first time into the conversation, Ron spoke. "No, it's not true. It can't be true. Harry isn't Snape's son. He's not, he can't be." Ron said quickly, not sounding like himself at all. "Harry's my friend. He wouldn't betray me like that. No, he wouldn't." Ron kept repeating over and over.

"I see what you mean, Miss Granger. You were wise to bring him here and fetch me promptly." Dumbledore sighed. He had hoped that Ron would be able to handle it when he found out. "I don't know how he'll take the news when he hears it the next time, but for now, I'll erase the memories. However, I will have to inform Harry of what happened. I hope that that is okay." Dumbledore asked.

"Yes it is." Hermione said. "Why don't you conjure a couch and put him on it before you oblivaite him. You can tell him that he tripped and blacked out." Hermione said logically.

"Ah, that makes an excellent excuse." Dumbledore said. "I see how you got past survived Severus' logic puzzle."

"That was easy." Hermione said.

Dumbledore agreed, but didn't mention that most of the staff couldn't figure it out. He performed the spell and when Ron sat up blinking he said, "Good, you've come 'round. I was beginning to worry. You took quite a tumble Mr. Weasley."

"I did?" Ron asked, sounding confused. "The last thing I remember is going to go and see what Harry and Professor Snape wanted for dinner."

"You and Miss Granger didn't quite make it there. You apparently tripped and knocked yourself out. You had a small gash on your forehead, but I healed it. You had worried Miss Granger.

"I did? Oh, I'm sorry 'Mione." Ron said.

"It's okay Ron, you were just so pale and there was blood all over your face. It was scary." Hermione said, doing a good impression that it had really happened. She called on the memory of finding her grandfather's body and she began to cry. That always worked.

"Shhh. It's okay 'Mione. I'm fine." Ron said, soothing his girlfriend.

How did the girl do that? Albus wondered. The tears were genuine, he could tell, but he didn't know what had caused them. Perhaps it was that Ron couldn't handle the truth. Another thought to ponder when he couldn't sleep. "I think I'll go and get food to the others. You two can join us when Ron feels better, I think that he feels a little unsteady right about now." Dumbledore smiled and left.

"Severus? Harry? I need to talk with you two." Dumbledore said.

Harry and Severus got up and followed Dumbledore into and empty classroom.

"Apparently Ron overheard you two talking and he heard enough to realize that Harry is your son." Dumbledore said gravely. "He didn't take the news too well. He went into near hysterics, he was shaking uncontrollably, and kept saying over and over again, 'It can't be true. It can't.' Miss Granger suggested oblivating him because of how he was. So unfortuantly, I did that. Harry, I think that you should keep this a secret from Ron for a while." Dmbledore said gravely.

Harry nodded. "I have some warning if I tell him. Thank you for telling me this." Harry said.

"Yes thank you." Severus said. "I suppose that we're not going to tell anyone else the happy news. Besides, the more people that know, the more likely that it will be told to someone who doesn't need to know."

"That makes sense, Severus. Now, I need to know when you will be returning to Hogwarts." Dumbledore said.

"I was thinking Monday. I'd be bringing Harry and Draco with me, only because I don't want them getting into trouble with nobody to watch them. I have discussed the matter with both their employers and they agree with that only if Harry and Draco agree with it." Severus said.

Funny. I don't like it when Dumbledore tries to control my life, but I don't seem to mind when Severus does. Strange. "I don't mind." Harry said.

"Good. I already discussed it with Draco and he doesn't mind either." Severus said.

"Good then. So Severus, how will you be arriving?" Dumbledore asked.

"I think by portkey, but it will need to be a two way portkey, because there are a few things that will need to go back and forth. Would you mind doing that?" Severus asked.

"No not at all. The activation phrase will be 'songebob'." Dumbledore said.

"Professor, I'm just a little cuirous, where did you learn that phrase?" Harry asked. "It's an American muggle television show." Dumbledore said.

"Thanks, I was just wondering." Harry said. "I think that I'll rejoin the others and have something to eat before I fall asleep." Harry said before going back to the rooms where the others were not eating some sort of stew. Whatever it was, it smelled good. Harry walked in and asked, "Is there a bowl of that for me?"

"Yeah. It's over here." George said.

"Do you know what? Even if it's my birthday I still don't trust you two with my food. I might turn into something. I'll leave that bowl for Ron." Harry said. He took a clean owl from the stack on the tray and ladeled some out of the pan that the elves had left them. Harry took a spoon and ate a little of it. "This is good! We've never had this here before." Harry said.

"That's because Mum oversaw the cooking. It's her recipe, and she refused to give it to the elves, apparently." George said.

"I don't blame her. If I had a recipe that was this good, I would gaurd it with my life." Harry said, eating more. As Harry was getting seconds on his stew, Severus returned. With out thinking, Harry set his bowl down and got another one and put more stew in it for Severus. "Here." Harry said, holding the bowl out to Severus.

Severus, not think either, said, "Thank you" and sat next to Harry.

"You're welcome." Harry said, and then he realized his mistake.

"Harry?" Fred asked, in a strange voice.

"Are you alright?" George asked, peering at Harry. Harry seemed more pale than usual and his hair looked longer.

"I'm fine. Why do you ask?" Harry snapped sounding remarkably like, Severus.

"It's just that you are being, well, nice to, well, him." Fred said, staring at Harry.

"Ye gods, what have I done?" Harry muttered to himself. "Apparently he's my new guardian. He's been in the same house as me for the last week, and I will be spending next summer and Christmas and Easter holidays with Severus. The second day we were in the same house, we agreed to a truce." Harry said, which wasn't a long shot from the truth.

"Christmas and Easter Holidays with Snape?" George said his eyes wide.

"Honestly." Hermione said, from the doorway. "He's not that bad. He gets." Hermione would have continued, exceot for Severus cut her off.

Using his best greasy git voice, he said, "Miss Granger, if you continue you will find yourself in dentention when term begins for breathing wrong. I strongly suggest that you shut your mouth, and go find your pathetic boyfriend who can barely play the simple position of keeper."

"Severus. Keep your acidic tongue to yourself." Harry said.

"And who is in charge?" Severus asked.

"I'm not too sure on that." Harry said, taunting Severus.

"I am." Lily said from the corner she was looking at.

"What!?" Severus shouted, ejoying himself.

"Yes, Severus has a point, what do you mean, you are in charge?" Harry asked him mother's ghost.

"I mean I am in charge, because you two can't decide who is in charge." Lily pointed out. "Now that that's cleared up, what do you think about this corner. It seems to be unhaunted. I think it has nice prospects."

"Mum!" Harry said. "I thought you'd decided to be a roving ghost."

"I'm having second thoughts. I can't decided between annoying Voldemort by singing nursery rhymes to him and bugging him for killing me, or haunting Hogwarts." Lily said brightly.

"Nursery rhymes?" Harry asked. "No. That is way too evil, even for Voldemort. You'd drive him insane."

"I thought that he already is insane." Fred said. The discussion continued until it got to the point where Harry was falling asleep. Ginny, who was sitting on Harry's other side, was dropping off also. It was Harry who fell asleep first, and Ginny was soon asleep too. Severus noticed this and conjured up a large quilt and tucked Harry and Ginny in. He smiled fondly, reminded of a time when that was him and Lily in the Room of Requirement, they had been meeting there to study, and they had studied a bit late. Across the room, Hermione and Ron were slowly dropping off too. Severus decided that just shutting his eyes for a moment wouldn't hurt, but first he moved to the big squashy armchair that had been his favorite and summoned a book from the bookshelf. After conjuring another quilt and a mug of hot cocoa he read for a bit then he dimmed the lights and dropped off to sleep. (A/N: God that sounds good right now. A big armchair, a book and cocoa.)

Fred and George who had left the room to return the dishes to the kitchen, had joined the adults in conversation.

"I don't see why you are letting him have it." Molly said.

"I am letting him have it because it gives him a false sense of security." Albus explained.

The door to the staff room opened, and Professor Trelawney came into the staff room. She peered at them through her glasses. "Ah, Professor Dumbledore, I must tell you something. I was doing a star chart for myself, when I saw a very large humanoid shape going towards the castle. I could quite clearly hear it muttering 'Haggar' whatever that means. I thought you should know." She said before leaving the room and returning to her tower.

"Why do you keep her around Albus?" McGonagall said amidst a yawn.

"I have my reasons, Minerva." Albus replied. "I believe that we must call this meeting to a cease, as Grawp seems to be looking for you, Hagrid." Dumbledore said, before rising from the chair he was siting on and stretching.

"Yes, I should go and find him before he gets too worried." Hagrid said, rising, and leaving hurriedly.

"I—look at the time!" Molly exclaimed. "Why it's past one in the morning, oh dear, I hope they children haven't gotten into mischief." Molly said, standing up to go and find her children.

"I'm sure that they are fine Molly. I'll go and check on them." Arthur said, as he slipped out of the staff room, going to the room where they had left the children. When Arthur opened the door, he smiled at what he saw. Though perhaps, Harry and Ginny shouldn't be sleeping so close. Nor should Hermione and Ron. Well he remembered a charm that would only last the night. His parents had used it when Molly had stayed over at their home to ensure that they didn't get grandchildren too early.

Arthur went back upstairs and smiled at his wife. "They're sleeping. It's so cute. Harry has his arm around Ginny and it's so cute! And Hermione has snuggled up against Ron in her sleep." Molly got up to go and separate her children from their consorts. (A/N: hehe. I've been dying to use that word. Consort. Makes me think of Gods and Goddesses. Probably got my definition messed up though.)

"Molly, it's okay. I cast that charm that keeps them from..." Arthur trailed off and gave his wife a lusty wink. "You know...."

"Dad! Not when we're in the room!" Fred and George said in unison. "What a second."

"You mean that there's a charm—" George said.

"That keeps you from—" Fred added.

"Going all the way?" George finished.

"Yes. Why do you think that we're not grandparents yet?" Arthur asked.

"Arthur. Don't tell them that. They'll find a way to get past it and we'll have a lot of little Freds and Georges running around." Molly said, trying not to laugh.

"Please don't Arthur, I don't think Hogwarts could take it." Minerva added from a corner, wondering what exactly was in the drink that Albus had served. (A/N: I feel obligated to tell you that it's late and I'm working on a sugar high and I've been in front of the computer for like all day, so this might get weird, and I'm listening to my radio station and my favorite song just came on and I'm singing along. Remember YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. It may get weird, as I have gone completely off of the plan that I had.)

"Well Fred and George, as you have said, there is a charm that keeps you from going all the way. Arthur said.

"And that's all you're going to hear on the subject from your father." Molly said. "Now Arthur, I need to have a chat with you. In private. In here." Molly said, pulling Arthur into a nearby closet the seemed to be full of teacher's cloaks.

"Professor McGonagall?" Fred asked.

"Yes?" Minerva replied.

"I'm scared." Fred told her.

"Go and tell you mum." Minerva said, looking over the book she was flipping through that defined various types of alcohol.

"I'd rather not." Fred replied, edging away from the closet from which strange noises were coming forth.

"If it makes you feel any better, I think that Albus drugged the drinks." Minerva said.

"That's reassuring. Why did he drug them with?" Fred asked.

"I'm trying to find that out." Minerva said. "When I get my hands on him...." She trailed off, not finding any suitable threats.

"Well, I am going to go and find and empty classroom and barricade myself in it." George said before leaving. After a few minutes, he returned. "Hogwarts is scary at night."

"Tell me about it." Minerva muttered. "I am going to go to my rooms and sleep in my bed."

Fred and George looked at her.

"You two are up a creek with out a paddle. Good bye." Minerva said hurridley before leaving the staff room. She wondered how Fred and George would fare out at Hogwarts in the middle of the night, without their wands. She really was an evil person. For the eighty millionth time, she wondered what Albus had put in the drinks. Ugh, She had reached her rooms. After saying the password, (ferret) she lit the lamps by hand and set down at her desk to write the next chapter of her story. (A/N: Oh MY god! I jut had the bestest greatest idea ever.)

Chapter Five. In Which Cimorene Receives a Formal Call from Her Companions in Dire Captivity

Kazul slept late the following morning, and Cimorene was afraid that she would leave before Ciomrene had a chance to ask about the dragons' after-dinner conversation. To her relief, Kazul called her in as soon as she was thoroughly awake and asked Cimorene to ring in the brushes for cleaning her scales.

"What was that crystal your friends mentioned last night?" Cimorene asked as she laid out the brushes. "The one she though King Tokoz could use somehow to find out what the wizard are doing?"

"The King's Crystal?" Kazul said. "It's one of the magical objects that belongs to the King of the Dragons."

(A/N: Okay, that was my idea. To have Prof. McGonagall be writing the enchanted forest series. Changed my mind. That's the first page of chapter five. I'll admit it is word for word. It belongs to Patrica Wrede. Not me. Her. Same way Harry Potter belongs to J. K. Rowling. Not me. Her.)

Professor McGonagall put her quill down and decided that it would be much more fun to watch Fred and George. She changed into her tartan nightgown, and slipped into her matching tartan robe and settled comfortably into her bed and watched the magically projected images of the twins of her wall.

"Well we can't go back in there." Fred was saying to George.

"So where do we go now?" George.

"I refuse to huddle for warmth." Fred blurted out.

"Where did that come from?" George asked looked around warily.

"I don't know." Fred replied.

Suddenly, music came out of nowhere. 'My mind' saying no, but my bodys sayin yes...' (A/N: If I hear the stupid commercial for the stupid movie one more time I will kill myself.)

"What was that?" Fred and George said at the same time.

"Okay. I am getting seriously creeped out." George said.

Tap. "I suppose you don't know what that was either." Fred asked George.

Squeak. "What about that?"

"Nope." Fred replied.

Tap. Fred and George both shook their heads.

The mysterious noises were getting louder and louder. Suddenly, around the corner, came a girl. "Hello. I don't suppose you could tell me where I am?" she asked Fred and George.

"You're at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Fred informed the girl, looking at her. She was a little on the short side with brownish-blonde hair that went a little past her shoulders, and had dark brown eyes that appeared black in the dim light.

"I am?" The girl replied. "I guess that explains the wagon with my things on it." She said. For the first time, they noticed the battered toy elephant that was in the girl's right hand.

"Er.. I don't mean to be rude, but what's that?" George replied, pointing at the elephant.

"Umm, that would be Pinko. I've had her ever since I was a baby and she used to be pink, hence the name. I'm a little frightened of the dark, and she helps." The girl said reluctantly.

"I understand, our brother has a strange fear of spiders." Fred said.

"That's only because you turned his teddy into one." George said.

"Only because he broke my broomstick." Fred defended himself with.

"Oh well. I'm George Weasley, and the git over there, is my twin brother Fred." George introduced himself and his brother.

"I don't have a problem with spiders. There's one that has made a web in a corner near my desk. I rather like it. By the way, I'm Amy." The girl now known as Amy said. Something suddenly clicked in her mind. "You guys didn't just get magically kicked out of the staff room did you?"

"Yeah. Why?" Fred asked suspiciously.

"Nothing." Amy said. "I was just wondering." She said, trying to remain calm on the outside, but was screaming in her head 'oh my god! I'm a character in a book! A book! Not even a real book! Just some silly story that's on the Internet, that only four people read! AUGH!'

"Are you okay?" Fred asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. I just thought of something." Amy said.

"You were nearly hyperventilating." George pointed out.

"I'm fine. Now I am going to go and find a nice spider free corner, and see what's in the little red wagon that I've got with me and curl up and sleep until morning. Good-bye." Amy snapped and headed off in the direction opposite that of which she had arrived.

"I saw a blanket in that wagon." Fred told his brother.

"I think I saw a few pillows." George said.

"Hogwarts is cold at night." Fred commented.

"I think we just let a blanket get away." George said.

"Let's catch up with her!" Fred said brightly.

Fred and George hurried off in the direction that Amy had headed.

Amy had found a nice, hopefully spider free corner, and set about setting the corner up for residence. "Let's see, what do I have here." Amy had, the big blanket from her bed, a few pillows, and a large pile of books. Included were her set of Harry Potter books, The first four books of the Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice, all of her Tamora Pierce books, her Darren Shan books, and a various assortment of trashy romance novels. "Well, I won't get bored. Yes! My matches! (A/N: She's a pryo, the scorch marks on her window screen prove it) If my matches are here, them maybe the dragon candle holder..." Amy rooted around in the wagon and pulled out a candle holder wrapped in what appeared to be a pirate flag. "Oh yes, that's always good to have around. Now, let's put a little light in the corner." Remembering that this candle holder tended to drip wax all over, she took a sheet of paper out of her notebook and set the candle on it. "Now Filch won't be able to complain."

"I think that I'll do a little reading before I drop off completely, after all, tomorrow's going to be an interesting day." Amy muttered. She pulled out Cirque du Freak, by Darren Shan and turned to the first page.

"Aha. There she is. She did find a corner." Fred muttered to George.

"Hello. Our paths seem to have crossed again." George said brightly.

Amy rolled her eyes. "You look a little cold, I suppose that Hogwarts gets cold at night?" She asked.

"Yes, It seems that it does." George said. "I don't mean to be rude, but..."

"Could I share my blankets with you?" Amy asked, rolling her eyes.

"Yes, that'd be it." Fred said helpfully.

"I don't mind, as long as you promise to be nice." Amy said.

"Fine. I'll stay over here." George said, plopping down next to Amy, about a foot away from her. "And, he'll stay over there."

"I don't suppose that you have anything warmer than what you have on right now, do you?" Amy asked, just a little concerned.

Fred and George both shook their heads.

"if you're lucky, I might have a few spare sweatshirts in this wagon." Amy said, before tuning and rooting around in the red wagon. "Aha. Here." She tossed a blue hoodie to George and a sweatshirt to Fred that had a drawing of a lady watering plants, and it said, 'Bloom where you're planted.' on it.

"I don't know about you two, but I am tired, and this is my corner, and that is your side and I will stay on my side, and you will stay on your side." Amy said. "are we in agreement?"

"Yes. I just want to be warm." Fred said.

"Good night." Amy said, before moving the candle out of where it would get knocked over, and blowing it out. "It' really dark here." She said.

"Yeah, during the school year, there's almost always a light in each hall." Fred commented.

"Oh well. I'll just face the wall and shut my eyes and hope for sleep to claim me immediately." Amy said softly.

"What?" George asked.

"I'll just close my eyes and hope to fall asleep quickly." Amy said, wondering exactly how dim a male could get.

"Oh. Good night then." George said he didn't get an answer, for Amy and Fred were both asleep. George looked up at the ceiling and wondered if the floor could get any more uncomfortable. Eventually sleep claimed George. Leaving only Albus awake in Hogwarts, wondering what that surge of power that had roused him was. He decided to deal with it in the fast approaching dawn.

(A/N: I'll bet you didn't see that coming. I didn't either, so don't feel bad. :-) I went to bed, so should be semi normal. I hope.)

Severus reached up and rubbed his eyes. Why was he still in his robes? Memories of last night came flooding back. He had fallen asleep in a chair. It had been ages since he had last done that. He looked around and saw that the others were still sleeping. Severus stretched and decided that it wouldn't hurt to sleep for a little longer.

Minerva woke up to her lasted alarm shouting at her joyfully, "GET UP! GET UP! IT'S TME TO RISE AND SHINE!!" in a sing-song voice.

"I'm awake, now SHUT UP!" She shouted at the alarm. It was part of her morning routine, to shout at her alarm She didn't notice that she had left the window that she was watching Fred and George in before bed.

Albus woke to Fawkes trilling Phoenix song at him.

"Yes Fawkes, I'm awake." Albus smiled at his bird, and got up. He wondered how things had gone last night. He probably shouldn't have put that potion in their drinks. As it was probably close to a hundred years old... Well, he had added Phoenix tears, so if it was poison, it would have no effect. Minerva should be here any moment....

Fred wok up, wondering why his bed was so cold and hard. Then he remembered that he was on the floor of Hogwarts. He poked Amy and George in the ribs. George woke up immediately. Amy, on the other hand, said, "Go away Mom, I'm sleeping," and batted at his hand. Fred smiled at George and whispered to him, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"That's Amy's ticklish?" George whispered back.

Fred nodded, and poked Amy in the side. She shuddered, and said again, "Go away. I'm not getting up.... It's cold."

Fred grabbed the blanket and pulled it off of Amy. "Okay, I'm up. Now go away."

Fred and George laughed and tickled Amy until she was fully awake.

"What?" She snapped, them immediately apologized. "Sorry, I'm not much of a morning person." She said, sitting up and stretching her arms toward the ceiling.

"Good morning." George said.

"Morning." Amy replied.

"Now that it's lighter in here, why don't we go and try to find the others?" Fred asked.

"Good idea." George replied.

"Would you mind helping me put these things away?" Amy asked, folding the blanket and put it in the wagon. "Fine then, don't help." She muttered, tossing the pillows in, and wondering how there was so much room in the wagon, and who had packed it.

"So lets go." Amy said.

"Where to?" Fred asked.

"Well, either to find the others, or to talk to Dumbledore." Amy said, rolling her eyes.

"Why not the kitchens first and then find the others?" George suggested.

"That sounds good." Fred replied. "What about you, Amy?"

"I don't care." Amy said. "I'm not particularly hungry, but food would be nice."

"Okay then. Kitchens it is." George said.

"You know what sounds really good right now?" Amy said.

"What?" Fred asked.

"Chicken nuggets." Amy said.

"What are those?" Fred asked.

"They're a muggle food, made by McDonalds. Maybe I'll see if the house-elves can make some. They are bits of chicken, that are dipped in batter and deep fried, I think. However they make them, I like them." Amy said, her eyes half closed, like she was falling asleep.

"They sound good." Fred commented.

"They are." Hermione said, stepping out of a room. "Are you going down to the kitchens?"

Fred and George nodded. "Good, then I'll come with you. I don't believe I've met you." Hermione said, turning to face Amy.

"No I don't think you have. I've just recently arrived. I'm Amy Heller." Amy said, extending her hand.

Hermione took Amy's hand and shook it. "Hermione Granger. I'll be glad to show you around if you end up staying."

"Thanks. I'm not even sure how I got here." Amy said, sounding a little confused.

"What were the events leading up to your arrival?" Hermione asked.

"Do you really want to know?" Amy asked.

"Of course, I might be able to help you." Hermione said.

"Well, I was in my room, and I went downstairs to go and get something to drink, a glass of water, and I got the water, but on my way back upstairs, I decided to go outside for a bit and look at the stars for a bit. I ended walking to the field for near my home because you can get a really good view of the sky from there. After a while, I went back home, but there was a wagon in the way, this one." Amy said, motioning to the wagon she was pulling behind her. "I knew that it belonged to the kids down the street, so I grabbed the handle and started pulling it behind me and the closer I got to the house it belonged, the harder it got to walk and the handle kept getting hotter, but I couldn't let go of it. After a bit, I don't know how long, the handle cooled down and walking was easier. I guess somewhere, the scenery changed, because when it was easy to walk I found myself in Hogwarts, and the wagon was full of my things." Amy said.

"Wow." Fred said.

"So that's why you were confused." George added.

"Yeah." Amy said.

"Well, I'm sure that Dumbledore can get things sorted out." Hermione said confidentially. They were now in a hall that was adorned with paintings of food. The group stopped by a picture of a bowl of fruit. Hermione reached for the pear and tickled it, so it turned into a door handle.

Fred opened the door and let Hermione and Amy go in ahead of them.

"Thanks for opening the door." Amy said. "Hermione? Ho do you feel about explaining the wonders of chicken nuggets to the house elves?"

"Sounds like a good idea. I think the muggle born students would like it." Hermione said. "But why don't you ask them?"

"Okay." Amy said, thinking that Hermione probably wanted to see how she treated the elves. One of the elves had been standing by them, so Amy turned to address it. "Hello."

"Mistress." The elf said, curtseying. "How can I help you?"

"I'm Amy. What's your name?" Amy told the elf.

"Tiddy, ma'am." Tiddy said, looking down at the floor.

"Well, Tiddy, could you come and sit here for a moment?" Amy asked. "I need to talk to you about something."

"If that it what mistress wants." Tiddy said, staring up at Amy like she had grown an extra head.

"Yes it's what I want. Now please sit." Amy said, motioning to a nearby set of chairs.

Tiddy sat in a chair next to Amy. "Now Tiddy, have you ever heard of chicken nuggets?" Tiddy shook her head. "Well, they are pieces of chicken that are dipped in a batter and fried until they are golden. We were wondering if you could make them?" Amy asked gently.

"If Tiddy could see what these chicken nuggets looked like." Tiddy said, referring to herself in third person.

Hermione had been muttering all through the conversation and was waving her wand around a little. There was a little bang and a poof of smoke. Three chicken nuggets had pooped into existence in front of her. Hermione eyed them and picked up one and sniffed at it. "It smells fine." Hermione said. "Here you smell it too." She said, holding it under Amy's nose.

Amy nodded. "It smells right."

"Okay them. Now lets see if it tastes right." Hermione said, before closing her eyes and nibbling the edge of the chicken nugget. She smiled and the took a big bite out of it. "Yep. It's perfect. Here Tiddy, these are chicken nuggets." Hermione said, pushing them over to the elf.

Tiddy went through the same process that Hermione went through. "Oh, we elves can make these easy. It will be a few minutes." Tiddy said, before taking the remaining one and a half golden chicken nuggets over to the others.

"Thanks, Hermione, I've been dying for chicken nuggets." Amy said. "I know it sounds silly."

"It does, but I been wanting some too. I'm glad that the elves can make them." Hermione said. "So now that you've told us how you got here, why don't you tell us about yourself.

"I don't know what to tell you." Amy said, laughing a little.

"Well all we know about you is your name." Fred pointed out.

"That's all I really know about you." Amy replied.

"Good point." Hermione said. "Here. I've got an idea. We'll ask you a question, you'll answer, and then ask us a question." How's that sound?" Hermione asked.

"Sure." Amy said.

"I'll go first!" George exclaimed. "How old are you?"

"I'm not sure. I may have traveled in time." Amy said. "How old are you?"

"Eighteen in a month." George said.

"How old are you in your time?" Fred asked.

"Fifteen." Amy replied. "What year is this?"

"1996." Fred replied.

"What year is it in your time?" Hermione asked, seeing that Amy's eyes had widened.

"2004. So I'm fifteen, but this year, in the first time around I'm seven." Amy replied. "Now that I've got that figured out, where do you live?"

"Thetford, I doubt you know where that is."

"I do. I used to live there, actually I still am. Though I'll be moving soon." Amy said.

"It's my turn again!" George asked. "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"One sister. She's three years younger then me and is called Sarah." Amy said.

"How about you?" Amy asked.

"Eurgh. I have one sister, and five brothers." George said.

"Big family." Amy commented.

"Where are you from?" Fred asked.

"The states. I was born in Washington state, moved to Thetford for three years, Lived in California for a little under a year and I moved back up to Washington." Amy said.

"Okay." Fred said, wondering what she was going to ask him.

"I'm guessing that you're out of school, so what do you do?" Amy asked him.

"Me and George run a joke shop in Diagon Alley." Fred told her.

"Where did you live in Thetford?" Hermione asked suspiciously.

"Erm... I know what you're thinking. I changed my name to Amy, and Sarah used to go by Sally, Hermione, you used to baby-sit me and Sally." Amy said.

"Emi! Hermione said. "I never thought that I'd see you after this summer. Your mum told my mum and she told me, that you were going to be moving."

"Well I suppose that you do see me again. This is so confusing." Amy said. "So Hermione. "Have you and Ron gotten together yet?" Amy asked, remembering that Hermione had told her about a boy that she like at school.

"Yes." Hermione said, realizing that she hadn't have told Amy about who she liked.

"So, why did Hermione know you as Emi?" George asked.

"My real name is Amelia. My parents called me Amy, but Hermione called me Emi." Amy said. "So. Hermione told me a little about you two. Why does a person not trust anything that you give them?" Amy asked.

"Simple. We're pranksters, add magic to that, you're doomed." George said.

"Excuse me, sirs and misses, the food you requested is ready." Tiddy said, coming up to the group, following her was two elves bearing a large platter with a pile of chicken nuggets on it.

"You didn't have to make so many..." Hermione said, but was cut off by George.

"Are you sure that's enough?" George asked.

"It should be just fine. Thank you Tiddy." Amy said, helping the elves set the platter on the table. "I meant to ask earlier, but could we get a bowl of sweet and sour sauce and another of honey?" Amy asked.

"Oh, yes. Right away Miss!" Another elf exclaimed before running off eagerly and returning with the requested items.

Hermione took the two bowls and Amy said "Thank you. I believe that's all we'll be needing for a bit."

Fred and George each grabbed a chicken nugget and bit into it. "These are good!" One of them said through a mouthful of chicken. (A/N: I want some chicken nuggets, can you tell? Eurgh. Stupid mother, won't tell me how to make them, or take me to buy some. So must die. After she gets me chicken nuggets. Maybe there's some in the freezer! Yum. Frozen curly fries.)

"Glad you like them." Amy said, thinking of the frozen curly fries that she'd probably be eating if she was at home. Hogwarts was better.

The door to the kitchen opened, and Harry, Ginny and Ron wandered in. The table that they were sitting at magically expanded to make room for the others.

"Good morning Hermione, we were wondering where you had gotten to." Harry said, not really paying attention to the others at the table.

"Morning Harry, you and Ginny were awfully close last night. Anything I should know about?" Fred asked.

"I'm not sure just yet Fred." Ginny said. "He asked me this morning, but I haven't decided."

"Oy! You couldn't tell me this?" Ron asked, suddenly awake.

"Well, you were sort of worried about Hermione going missing, so I didn't tell you." Ginny said. "He was convinced that Professor Snape had kidnapped you." Ginny told Hermione.

Hermione rolled her eyes. Amy tried not to laugh and poked Fred in the ribs. "Have I suddenly gone invisible?" She whispered to him.

"I think you might have. I wonder if they will notice you." Fred replied.

Harry had just noticed Amy. "Er, I don't mean to be rude, but who the ruddy hell are you?"

Amy looked mildly surprised. "Me?" Harry nodded. "I'm just a friend of Fred, George, and Hermione."

"You must be brave." Ron said.

"Why?" Amy asked.

"You're sitting in-between Fred and George, and you're eating." Ron said as an explanation.

"I think they haven't figured out how to get me to eat something that they have touched." Amy said, laughing a little. "Would you like some? They're very good." Amy offered a nugget to Ron.

"Sure." Ron said, and took the nugget from Amy and popped it into his mouth. After he swallowed it he frowned. "I could have sworn that tasted like." Ron's voice was cut off as he turned into a large chicken with bright red feathers.

"AMY!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Yes?" Amy asked.

"You shouldn't be going around giving out hexed chicken nuggets!" Hermione said loudly.

"But I didn't. I just passed it along." Amy said innocently.

"That's why you didn't turn into a chicken." Fred exclaimed.

"Yeah, I was wondering about that." George said.

"Like I said, earlier, I'm too smart to accept and eat food from you two. I'll accept it, but not eat it." Amy said smugly.

"But, I could have sworn you ate it." Fred said, looking perplexed.

"Did I ever mention that I was a magician at a fair last summer?" Amy asked.

"No." Fred said.

"I was excellent at sleight of hand, you know, now you see, now you don't, and I'll put this over here, and how'd it get over here into my hand?" Amy said.

"That makes sense." Hermione said.

"Would you like these back Hermione?" Amy asked, holding up a sterling silver ring with a matching bracelet.

Hermione looked at her right hand. Then she held out her left. Amy dropped them into Hermione's hand. "How'd you get those?"

"I'd also make a good pickpocket, and the catch on your bracelet isn't very good, and the ring is a little too big for your finger." Amy said, smirking.

"Ah. I see what you mean. I'll just fix the problem with the ring." Hermione said, pulling her wand out and tapping the ring with it. "So how'd you get them? Besides the fact that the jewelry didn't fit well."

"You shook my hand Hermione." Amy said. "I was wondering if you would notice. I only keep things that I take from people who I don't like. I think it's safe to say that I like all of you."

"That's a reassuring fact." Harry said. He looked around. "Aren't we missing someone?" Harry asked.

The other's looked around. "Draco." Harry said.

"I wonder where he is." Ron said.

"Maybe someone should go and look for him." Harry said.

"Harry Potter sir! I is willing to go look for Harry Potter sir's friend." An extremely bouncy elf came up to Harry.

"I don't know Dobby. Do you remember your old master?" Harry said. "Well, it's Draco, he refused the Dark Mark and went to the light. If you want to look for him you can, but if you don't I perfectly understand." Harry said quietly.

"Dobby will find Harry's friend. Old master's son cannot hurt Dobby, because Albus Dumbledore will protect Dobby." Dobby said, before going out and looking for Draco.

"Thank you Dobby!" Harry called after Dobby. "So chicken nuggets? I didn't know that the elves knew how to make these." Harry said, picking one up.

"They didn't. Amy and I explained it to them, and they were more than happy to try and make them. They did it most wonderfully if I say so myself." Hermione said.

Ron the chicken, leaned forward and got one in his beak.

"Eww! Ron, don't be a cannibal!" Hermione said loudly. "How long will he be a chicken?" Hermione asked.

"Er, we're not to sure about that. He might be a chicken for a while." Fred said.

Amy was having a hard time not laughing. "Why don't you see if Dumbledore could sort him out?" Amy said, in-between laughs.

"What's got you off laughing?" Ginny asked, peering at Amy like she was crazy.

"It was the cannibal line. Sorry Hermione, it just set me off for no good reason." Amy said, trying to quit laughing.

George laughed a little. "That is funny. Out little brother, dear ickle Roniekins, a cannibal?"

A/N: I have been noticeably absent from this chapter, so I am here now to apologize for the bad humor that probably no one gets, as my sugar levels have been dangerously low and I am now replenishing them, so it should get better, I hope, which is unlikely (that it will get better)

Dobby interrupted by bouncing into the kitchens, dragging Draco behind him. "Harry Potter sir! Dobby has found the ferret! Here he is!" Dobby exclaimed, bouncing on his heels.

Harry stifled a laugh. "Thank you Dobby." Dobby bounced off oblivious to the glares he was receiving from the other elves. "Hello, Draco, where did you sleep last night?" Harry asked pleasantly.

"The dorms." Draco said smugly. "Where did you sleep?"

"The sitting room. It was most comfortable." Ginny said smugly, looking at Harry in a way that was most shocking to Draco. "I've decided Harry." Ginny said.

"And?" Harry asked.

As an answer Ginny walked over and sat on Harry's lap.

"Ginny!" Ron shouted, no one had noticed that he had changed back to human. Animagi lessons came in handy. "You can't do that!" Ron said, looking scandalized.

A/N: Yep, sugar's kickin' in nicely.

"Really, 'cause I think I can." Ginny said, wiggling around. "Harry, I really hope that's your wands that's poking me."

"Ginny!" Ron shouted again.

"It is." Harry said. "The one with the phoenix feather core." He added, so as not to anger his friend more.

"I'm starting to think that I didn't want this." Ron muttered.

"It's okay, Ron." Hermione said, patting Ron on the head. For the first time Draco noticed Amy.

"Hello. Now who are you?" Draco asked, looking Amy up and down.

"She's taken." George said.

"I am?" Amy asked, mildly surprised.

"Yes you are." George said firmly.

"Okay then." Amy replied, and returned to examining her rings.

"You never answered my question." Draco said irritably. "Who are you?"

"Me?" Amy asked, now examining her nails.

"Yes you, the girl I've never seen before." Draco said.

"Oh, I suppose that would be me." Amy paused for a moment. "I am Amy. The one who will be able to drive you insane within and hour. Or even sooner. You look like and easy person to drive insane." Amy said, looking critically at her right pinkie finger. "Now by any chance, have you seen my black nail polish?"

"No." Draco said, looking at Amy. "Are you sane?"

"Last time I checked, nope." Amy said happily, looking at the ring on her right ring finger. For some reason it wouldn't come off. Oh well, people wouldn't be able to steal it.

"Tiddy?" Amy asked. The elf was suddenly at her side. "I would like to thank you for this most excellent meal, and I hope to be able to dine on such wonderful fare again."

"Thank you miss." The elf said, staring at Amy with wide eyes. "I've never had such praise before." She curtsied and scurried away.

"Fred, George, I believe you said that we should go and talk to Dumbledore." Amy said loftily. "I would like to do that, and I don't have any ideas where to find him, perhaps you would be able to assist?"

"Of course fair lady." Fred replied, catching on immediately.

"Why thank you, sir knight, a lady is always pleased to have a proper escort through the halls of such a fine castle." Amy curtsied to Fred, and whispering in George's ear, "Curse what's left of the food."

"Excellent." George hissed back and then did so before rising he bowed before Amy and said, "Might I offer my arm, fair lady?"

"Of course sir knight, for what is a lady without an escort?" Amy asked, having fun.

"Yes, I'll just get the door and the wagon." George muttered, he reached for the wagon and dropped the handle in shock. "It zapped me!" He exclaimed. "I mean, fair lady, there is a slight problem, I believe that the wagon is attuned to your fair hand, you need to pull the wagon."

"I thought that might be the case, as the wheels locked up when Ron tried to move the wagon." Amy said, before getting the handle of the wagon in one hand, and resting her other arm on Fred's outstretched arm. "Add a long, flowing pink gown, and the picture would be complete." Amy said, as she walked elegantly out of the kitchens.

When they were out of earshot, they all collapsed in laughter. "Thanks for playing along." Amy said.

"When you said you were a prankster, we didn't know you were that serious." Fred said, looking at Amy wait a sort of awe in his gaze.

"You'll never guess what Draco wears around his neck." Amy said, with a silly grin on her face.

"What?" George asked. "You didn't?"

"Didn't what? Brush my hand across his neck as I walked by him?" Amy asked innocently.

"You did!" Fred exclaimed.

"I did. He has a silver chain, that has a gold heart on the end of it. With, I quote, Mummy loves you my dear Draco, don't you ever forget that inscribed on it." Amy said. "Now if I only knew what to do with it..." She pondered. "I think that I'll drop it in a likely place that it will be found by someone who can use it."

"How does the lake sound?" George asked.

"No, I don't like how he looked at me. This necklace is going to be a little example of what I can do." Amy said, holding up a necklace. "Would one of you mind looking for any charms or curses on it?"

"Not at all." Fred replied, and her took it from her and tapped it with his wand. "Yeah, there's an anti-theft jinx, but that only prevents magical theft. I think that that can be removed."

"Anything else?" Amy asked.

"I don't believe so." Fred replied.

"For your safety, I would put it in here." George said.

"It's a handy little cupboard that cancels out all magical signature, so you can't trace anything by it. So if you put the necklace in here, he won't be able to find it using magic." Fred informed her.

"Thanks, You guys don't mind being dragged into this, do you?" Amy asked, concerned that she might be putting Fred and George in a situation that they didn't want to be in.

"No. I saw how he looked at you, and..." George paused. "You know, I don't know if you are going to stay or not, so I will save that for later."

"I'm not very pleased with Draco either, the way he looked at you, that he had the audacity to look at you like that, it just infuriated me." Fred said

"Ah. Good we are in agreement. Now, could one of you show me the way to Dumbledore's office?" Amy asked.

"Of course." Fred said. "Now let's go before Draco realizes that his necklace is missing."

Amy laughed, and walked a little quicker. After a bit, they stopped at a statue of a gargoyle.

Fred looked at it. "I don't suppouse that you'd let us in?" He asked it.

There was no response. Geroge tried, and then looked at Amy. "Maybe you should try."

"Okay." Amy said, before moving to stand in front of the gargoyle. "Hello. We need to talk to Dumbledore. It is of a most urgent matter." Amy said, looking the creature in the face. It jumped to the side and a gap opened up in the wall. Had it winked at her?

"Thank you." She said politely, before going in. Fred and George looked at her for a moment. "What?"

"Oh it's nothing, we've always tried to get into here, but we've never managed." Fred said.

"Oh that. I seem to have an affinity for getting into places I shouldn't be." Amy said, stepping onto the moving staircase.

After a bit, they reached the door with the griffin knocker on it. "I suppose I'll knock then." She muttered, because Fred and George seemed to be hanging back.

Amy stepped forward and rapped on the door ignoring the knocker for some odd reason.

"Enter." Albus said, wondering who it could be. Minerva would have just stormed in.

The door opened, an Amy hesitantly walked in. "Hello sir."

"Hello, I don't believe I've ever seen you before." Albus said, trying to enter the girls mind, but failing for some reason. That was odd.

"I suppose not, as I just arrived last night." Amy said.

"Arrived? Last night?" Albus said, leaning forward slightly and peering at the girl closer.

"Yes. Arrived. I was hoping that you could help me find out how I arrived here." Amy said. "I should tell you how I got here."

Albus nodded. "Let me get something." He said, rummaging for a quill and the truth ball that glowed when someone lied, as he wouldn't be able to see in her mind if she was lying. "Okay. Begin."

"Well, I was going downstairs last night at my house to get something to drink, and I decided to sneak out and look at the sky for a little bit. I ended up going down to the field near my house because you can get a good view of the sky from there. On my way back, I saw a wagon that looked like it belonged at the neighbors, so I grabbed the handle and started pulling towards their house. After a bit, it got harder and harder to pull, and the handle kept getting hotter and hotter, but for some reason I couldn't let go. After a while it got easier to walk and the handle cooled off, but I found myself in Hogwarts. I walked through the hall and found Fred and George and they said that I was in Hogwarts. I wandered off and found a comfortable corner to sleep in, and then, Fred and George showed up and said that they needed a warm place to sleep because Hogwarts got cold at night." Amy said.

"So you slept in a corner? What your clothes don't look slept in. Why is that?" Dumbledore asked.

"The wagon had been packed with a lot of my things. One of the things were some pillows and a few blankets from my bed." Amy said.

"Ah Thank you very much. I feel a bit silly asking this, but what is your name?" Dumbledore asked.

"I'm Amy Heller. I live in the Keyport. That's in Washington State. That's about halfway around the world from here. To add to it all, I thought that magic wasn't real. I'm a muggle." Amy said.

"Actually, you're not. If I am right, in what I thinking, your great grandmother married an Andrew Olsen?" Dumbledore asked.

Amy nodded. "And your last name isn't Heller, you are using your great grandmother's maiden name, aren't you." Dumbledore said.

Amy nodded. "I changed my name legally."

"Okay then. Well, Miss Heller, welcome back. We've been looking for you for quite a while. When you great, great-grandfather jumped ship on Whidbey Island, he gave up the wizarding world and lived life out as a muggle. In fact, he married a muggle, Helena Thorsheim. The Thorsheims were a family of Witches and Wizards, but Helena was a squib, and in her case, all of her children were either all muggle, or squibs. I believe that you are the first witch from that family in ages." Dumbledore finished,

A/N: If any of you have a great-great-aunt Helena, who married a Norwegian named Andrew Olsen, we are distant cousins. Do you?

"Why now?" Amy asked.

"We couldn't find you. I have no idea why you are here now, especially through time, but that can be sorted out." Dumbledore said. "Would you like to go back, or stay?" Dumbledore asked.

"I think I'd like to stay here. If I am a witch, I should be trained. Especially since I don't want to inadvertently harm my friends. I will miss them tough. I don't suppose that owls can deliver letters over time?" Amy asked.

Dumbledore shook his head sadly. "No. Are you sure that you want to stay?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes, I am sure." Amy said firmly. "Do you think that I could stay at Hogwarts?" Amy asked.

"Of course. Would you mind helping teachers with various things?" Dumbledore asked.

"Not at all. I'd enjoy helping at in the library." Amy said. "That is, if the Librarian is willing."

"I'm sure that Madam Prince would enjoy the help." Dumbledore said. "Why don't we head down there? I think that she is arriving today."

"Okay that sounds fine." Amy said. "Fred, George, I'm sure that you have other things to do today. Thanks for getting me up to Dumbledore's office safely."

"It was nothing." Fred said.

"But you're right, we've got to get to our shop, we're already late as it is." George said, standing. Amy walked over and gave both of them a hug.

"Thanks though. You two really made me feel welcome." Amy said.

"Well, you're welcome, and we'll stop by to see you sometime, or you can come to our shop." Fred told her, before leaving the room abruptly.

"Yeah, I better go before our mum finds us." George said and left as abruptly as Fred had.

Amy sighed. "Well, why don't we go and see the Librarian?" She asked.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea. So you want to learn to use your magic?" Dumbledore asked as he opened the door for Amy.

"Yes, I do, I'd be going into my fifth year." Amy said.

"I think that you should get private lessons, until you are caught up with your year." Dumbledore said.

"That would be great. Who would be teaching me?" Amy asked.

"I think that I will, and possibly some of the other professors." Dumbledore said.

"Okay then, when could I start?" Amy asked, wanting to know.

"I think possibly tomorrow, or Tuesday." Dumbledore said.

"But, I don't have any money." Amy said, worriedly.

"Actually, you do. Your grandfather left his money in Gringotts, and he had some very wise investment, so I believe that you have some where around two and a half million galleons." Dumbledore said pleasantly. "Lemon drop?" He asked, unaware that Amy had stopped.

Amy shook her head, she must have heard wrong. "Er, sir, how much did you say?"

"Two and a half million, and I'm not completely sure about the amount. Would you like a lemon drop?" He asked again.

"Of course, a lemon drop, that would be lovely." Amy said.

Dumbledore smiled to himself and held out a lemon drop to her. "Now, how much experience do you have working in a library?" He asked as they got nearer to the library.

"I mean it Harry, there's something strange about Amy." Hermione said for the third time.

"Hermione, stop. I heard you. You just don't like her because she managed to get your bracelet and ring without you knowing." Harry said.

"Well, they were special. My grandfather gave them to me just before he..." Hermione stopped, she hadn't told anyone about her grandfather. "left." She finished.

Ron looked at her funnily, but thankfully didn't press the matter.

"What do you mean by that Harry?" Draco asked.

"By what?" Harry asked irritably.

"How did she manage to get Hermione's jewerly?" Draco asked.

"He won't say that she's a pickpocket, but that about sums it up." Hermione snapped.

Draco's eye's widened. He counted the money he had quickly, and all of that was there, but when he took attendance of his jewelry, his necklace was missing. More precisely, the one his mother had given him. "My necklace, it's gone." He said breathlessly before getting up and setting out to find the necklace, thankfully it was magically tied to him and he could find it easily.

"What'd he say?" Ron asked.

"I'm not sure." Harry replied.

"I'll go after him." Ginny said, getting up.

"What?" Harry almost shouted. "No. He's in a fair mood, and I'll not have you getting hurt." Harry said firmly, tugging Ginny back into her seat.

"If you start going all 'I man, I protect woman, woman inferior and weak' on me, I will break up with you, after hexing you." Ginny said.

"Fine, go looking for him!" Harry said. "Just don't get hurt." Harry muttered at Ginny's retreating back.

"I heard that." Ginny said, before snapping the door shut.

"Harry? Are you okay?" Hermione asked, as Harry had started bashing his head on the table.

"Peachy keen." Harry said, sitting back, and grinning at the others forcibly. Inwardly, he was wondering if he should have asked Ginny out.

"Harry, come over here." Hermione said, she looked at Harry for a bit, and cast a security bubble. (A/N: Not mine, I found it in someone else's fic, but I can't remember who or when, so this wasn't my idea. Okay? Understand? Good.)

"You're having second thoughts aren't you?" Hermione asked him.

Harry nodded.

"Why'd you ask her?" Hermione asked.

"It just felt right at the time." Harry said quietly.

"Okay. Would you have asked her normally?" Hermione asked.

"I—I don't think so." Harry said quietly.

"Okay then, what are you going to do about it?" Hermione asked, Harry looking at Harry with a worried expression on her face.

"Tell Ginny how I feel." Harry said after a long pause.

Hermione nodded.

"I feel so bad though. I never should have asked." Harry said.

"Harry, if it makes you feel better, I think that Ginny's having second thoughts. All we have to do is worry about how Ron feels about this." Hermione said, sighing.

"After I talk to Ginny, could you talk to Ron?" Harry asked.

Hermione laughed. "I'm glad that you are going to talk to her. Go and find her, okay?" Hermione asked.

"Okay." Harry said.

"I'm glad that we had this talk." Hermione said in a very business-like manner.

"Yeah, me too." Harry said. "Talk to Ron for me, okay?"

"Sure." Hermione said, and let the spell go. Harry walked out of the kitchens, leaving Ron and Hermione alone.

"Ron?" Hermione said. She swallowed nervously. This was going to be hard. "We need to talk." Ron's reaction would have been comical, if she hadn't been so worried about how her boyfriend would react.

"What?" Ron asked, looking at her with wide eyes, his freckles standing out more than usual. "You're—you're not?"

"No I'm not breaking up with you. But I have to tell you something, and you have to promise me that you won't get mad. Can you do that?" Hermione asked.

"Of course I can." Ron said.

"Okay then." Hermione breathed deeply and cast a calming charm on Ron. "Harry and I were talking and he doesn't think that he's right for Ginny." Hermione watched Ron's face closely.

"What?" He said weakly.

"He doesn't think that he's right for Ginny. He was having doubts about it and he asked her out on the spur of the moment. Ginny was having her doubts too." Hermione finished.

"Okay. That's fine." Ron said happily and began humming to himself. Perhaps the charm had been a little too strong. Hermione cast a weaker one and removed the first one.

"Ron are you still fine with that?" Hermione asked tentatively.

"I'm a little miffed at Harry, he should have thought it through, but I understand. Asking you out was a spur of the moment thing too. But I had seriously thought about asking you out before, so I knew how I felt about you, and you thought your response through." Ron said, almost mechanically.

Uh-oh. "Ron what's your name?" Hermione asked, afraid of what she would hear.

"Ronald Bilius Weasley." Ron said.

Did that spell have a side effect of making someone tell the truth? Hermione wondered. She broke the spell and waited for Ron to respond.

"Hermione? Is that all?" Ron asked.

"Yeah. You aren't mad?" Hermione asked.

"No. I could tell that Harry and Ginny were wrong for each other. Ginny hero worships him, and he give's in to her too easily. I hate saying this but, I sorta hope that they break up." Ron said, so he was completely surprised when Hermione launched herself at him.

"Oh Ron! You're growing up!" Hermione said, hugging him tight around the neck.

A/N: Hi. I know that I said I'd update er... three dyas ago, but I realized that School starts on Sept. 8, so i got to writing like mad. I think in the past week or so, I've written aroud sixty pages. So yes, the next chapter is done. And so is fifteen. BUT, I'm going to write at least one more chapter before I post fourteen because I want to be at least two chapters ahead. That's only because I have english and sicene in the same semester, and math i think, (I'm to lazy to look for my schedule) All three of those classes have tests, and studying cuts into my writing time. Please, bear with me.

**Sparkling Silver Angel Wings:** I thought that Griffy was wierd too, but my mind wouldn't let it go. I think that they gave it to him, and it stuck. And as to James coming back... next chapter you'll find out about that. I will have Dumbledore suffer because, Harry goes missing right from under Dumbledore's nose, and I might have Dumledore go frantic looking for him. It doesn't help that Sev will be missing for a week too... opps. Well, now you have a nice idea of what's happenind in the next chapter.

**Lady Lily3:** Lily and Sev won't be together, but Sev will have someone, she just hasn't come into the story yet.

**Vista 21.4.1990**: Thanks again for pointing my mistake out. Keep revewing!

That's it for shout outs, and please Review, and I will write fast so I can post fourteen.


	14. Return to Hogwarts

A/N: OKay sorry for the long wait. I had it done, but then I had to do some major re-writing, so it took a while. I think the next chapter may be done, but no guareentees. Also, I can't handle the legnth at all, so after Fifteen, they will be getting shorter, but hopefully I will be able to update sooner.

"Will you please come to Hogwarts with me?" Harry asked his mirror for the third time.

"No. I like it here." The mirror replied.

"Please! I like you a lot and I really want you with me at Hogwarts. It will get awfully boring here, all by yourself. No one to talk to, insult, you'll just be by yourself." Harry said, pleading with the mirror.

"Fine. But only if I get to be in your room." The mirror said back.

"Good. I was wondering, if you are enchanted, or you are something else." Harry said, hoping that he wouldn't offend the mirror.

"I'm something else. You have a one way window into Merlin's library, that is home to the one and only librarian to Merlin." The Mirror said grandly.

"Ah. Do you have a name?" Harry asked.

"Yes. Bob." Bob the mirror said.

"Nice name. Why Bob?" Harry asked.

"My last master named me Bob for some strange reason. I think he thought it was funny. Well my name was better than his." Bob said.

"What was his name?" Harry asked, not really sure if he wanted to know.

"Kesin." Bob replied, trying not to laugh. (A/N: That's not how I feel about the name, I have a friend named Kesin.)

"Okay then. Could I shrink you down so you'll fit in my pocket?" Harry asked.

"I can do that myself." Bob snapped and the mirror shrunk down and detached itself from the wall and flew into Harry's pocket.

"Harry James Potter! If you're not down here in two minutes you will be cleaning out my classroom after the first years use it!" Severus shouted up the stairs.

"I'm coming!" Harry shouted back. He drug his trunk down the stairs and smiling satisfactory asked it made loud 'thunks.'

As he reached the kitchen he realized that he had forgotten Serpentine. "I forgot Serpentine!" Harry said before running back up the stairs.

He go the snake off of her branch where she was sleeping and locked his door with the key around his neck and hissed 'lock' at it. He had a rather secure security system. The door locked the muggle way and it was keyed to open, close, and lock to Parseltongue. Of course, others could get in, but it would be rather hard.

"Are you ready to go?" Severus asked, glaring at Harry for Sirius' sake, who was currently lounging on the table.

"Yes. Are you?" Harry asked, glaring at Severus.

"I have been ready for the past fifteen minutes. Sirius, I suggest you resume your snake form." Severus said.

"Fine." Sirius said, genuinely glaring at Severus as he was a bit jealous that Severus had got guardianship of Harry and he hadn't. Harry wasn't sure how he was going to tell Sirius. Maybe Remus would tell him.

"Lets go then." Harry said, and touched a finger to the portkey. The group and their belongings vanished along with their possessions.

Hermione Granger woke up with a start. What was that noise downstairs? She heard a familiar voice.

"Shh. You don't want to wake the filthy muggles." Crabbe said.

"I wasn't the one who broke the plate." Goyle sr. hissed back at him.

Hermione gasped. Death Eaters! In her house! Mum and Dad. Hermione got out of bed and picked up her wand, and the emergency portkey she had been given. She hurried to her parents room.

She shut the door and put a number of wards on the door, just to be safe. "Mum! Dad! Wake up!"

Hermione's parents sat up and looked at her wit worry in their eyes.

"I really hate to do this, but there are Death Eaters downstairs, and they are probably after me. I'm going to go and fight them. I need you to stay here because you can't fight them. This is an emergency portkey. It will take you to either Hogwarts or the Ministry. I want you to go to the Hogwarts. If you hear them getting close to your room, grab what ever you want to keep, and hold it and say 'Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry' Do you understand?" Hermione asked.

"Do you have to fight them?" Hermione's mum, Linda asked.

"Yes I do. I love you very much, okay? When you get to Hogwarts find Dumbledore and send him and the order here. Actually, go now. Is here anything you want to keep? Hermione asked.

"Only you." Linda said, looking at her daughter like it was the last time they would see her.

Hermione smiled, tears clouding her vision. "Just go before they come up here. raise bloody hell until someone finds you." Hermione said, thrusting the portkey into their hands.

Hermione's dad Marcus, took the portkey and said, "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Hermione blinked as her parents disappeared before her eyes, and she hoped that wasn't the last time she would see them.

Hermione squared her shoulders and wondered briefly if she was crazy. It was too late, unless she wanted to try and make herself a portkey. She took the wards off of her parents room and opened the door slowly. Hermione poked her head around the door, she could barely see into her room from there, and the moonlight illuminated a figure in there. Crabbe was leaning over her bed and she smiled. She aimed carefully and whispered, 'stupefy' The jet of red light hit him and Crabbe collapsed onto her bed.

One down and only one more known deatheater in the house. Hermione walked downstairs and looked into the sitting room. It was empty. Hermione paused and put a shield that moved with her onto herself. It would block most spells, so she shouldn't be taken by surprise. Hopefully.

Hermione checked the rooms methodically, until only the kitchen was left. She had hoped that he wasn't in there, some much for trying to keep her mum's dishes intact. Hermione sighed softly. Well time to get her feet wet. She stepped into the kitchen.

"Crabbe? I assume that you've killed them?" Goyle said, facing away from her.

The man was an idiot. Hermione shook her head. She couldn't decided whether or not to kill him, or stun him.

Hermione had hesitated too much. The Death Eater whirled around and his eyes widened. "You. I suppose that you had to be stubborn and not die?" He asked. "Never mind, I shall do the honors myself. Of course, I shall have a little fun first." The elder Goyle smiled evilly, and pointed his wand at him. 'crucio.' He said. Hermione dodged the curse and fired on of her own back at him. He in turn stepped aside and looked bored. He moved his wand in a slashing motion and a familiar looking purple flame shot out of his wand. Hermione ducked the spell, feeling glad that it hadn't gotten her this time. Hermione tried a stunner, but he dodged it, and while he was dodging, she tried to disarm him, but his wand was gripped too tightly.

"The wench can fight." Goyle said, as if he was amused.

"Yes, so intelligent of you to notice." Hermione said through gritted teeth. She tried a cutting curse (Or is it a hex?) and she managed to cut a lock of his hair off. Ugh. She was aiming for his throat.

"How dare you mess with my hair." Goyle replied, the rage in his voice quite evident.

"What, a mudblood touching your hair with her magic too much?" Hermione asked, taunting him.

The Death Eater stared at her. Hermione used the opportunity and tried to stun him, "You'll have to try harder than that." Goyle said.

"Yes, I suppose that I'll have to. I find it ironic that you are ruled by a mudblood.

"How dare you insult Lord Voldemort." Goyle said, sending a hex that didn't look pretty at Hermione.

"What? Me insult Voldemort?" Hermione asked innocently, dodging a curse that Goyle sent in her direction. "No, I'm just telling you that your master is a mudblood. Used to go by Tom Riddle." Hermione said, attempting to stun Goyle again.

He dodged the curse and sent another back at Hermione. He was slightly distracted by a clattering at the window. Hermione laughed slightly, realizing who the owls must be from. I'll bet they're having a field day at the misuse of magic office right now. Hermione shot yet another stunner at Goyle, and this timed she hit him.

Hermione grinned again, and stunned him again for good measure and conjured ropes to bind him. She took his wand and pocketed it. She remembered Crabbe up in her room and hurried up to her room and stunned him twice more and bound him too. She dragged him down to the kitchen with both the death eaters wands in her hands, not caring that she was hitting his head on the steps, and she kicked him over to Goyle and sat down for a moment.

Then she remembered the owls. She sighed and opened the window. About a dozen owls soared in and she shut the window before they could get away. She got a bowl from the cupboard and poured some water in the dish and set it out for the owls. She opened the first letter.

Dear Miss Granger,

We have received intelligence that a shield charm was used at your place of residence this morning at ten till one.

As you know, underage wizards are not permitted to perform spells outside school, and further spellwork on your part may lead to expulsion from said school (Decree...

Hermione blanched and dropped the letter. She opened the next one.

Dear Miss Granger,

She skimmed the letter wildly and it did not bring tidings of expulsion. Nor did the next. And the next. Until about the eleventh one.

Dear Miss Granger,

Due to your use of underage magic, you will be having a disciplinary hearing on the 15th August, at which time an official decision will be made. You may retain your wand, but further use of magic outside of school may cause you to be immediately expelled and your wand snapped.

Enjoy your Summer!

Best Wishes,

Mafalda Hopkirk.

Improper Use of Magic Office  
Ministry of Magic

Hermione looked at the letter with wide eyes. A hearing. Oh Lord. Mum and Dad won't be please. Suddenly, her doorbell rang. Hermione sat up, wondering who it could be at this time. She didn't care, she was going to have her wand out when she answered the door. Hermione got up and noticed that she was shaking a little. She moved slowly to the door.

She opened it a little, the chain lock still locked. "Open the door farther you silly girl, before we have to blast it in."

"Moody shut up." Professor McGonagall shoved Mad-Eye out of the way. 'Lumos' She muttered, using her wand to illuminate her face. "Now, Hermione dear, could you let us in? Your parents arrived at Hogwarts a few minutes ago yelling about Death Eaters."

Hermione sighed in relief. She hurriedly shut the door and slid the lock out so she could open the door fully. "Sorry, I'm a little nervous about opening the door right now." Hermione muttered.

"Quite understandable." Minerva said. "Now, are you hurt?" She asked, putting a hand on Hermione's shoulder, and immediately taking it off.

"Oh! Sorry about that. It's an old shield spell I read about. I put it on myself before I fought him." Hermione said, taking the spell off of herself. "They're in the kitchen, I stunned them and bound them, But I'd feel better if you restrained them." Hermione said off handedly, walking off to the kitchen.

"You fought them?" Mad-Eye asked incredulously.

"Of course I did. My diary is enchanted so only I can read it, but I'm sure that they could break the enchantments and I have things that they could use to get to Harry and the Order." Hermione said. "She remembered something. She pulled the two wands out of the pockets of the sweat pants that she was sleeping in. "Here. It's their wands." She said, holding them out to Mad-Eye.

"Girl, you'd make a great auror." He said, taking the wands from her and pocketing them.

They reached the kitchen, and Hermione held the door open for them. "There they are." She said, pointing at the unconscious and bound forms on the floor.

"Why are there a dozen owls here?" Minerva asked.

"Underage magic." Hermione said. "I have a hearing on the fifteenth."

"You do?" Minerva asked.

"Well, I used magic didn't I? I think I'll be able to get off, as there was just cause for me to be using it." Hermione replied.

"Yes, well, I think we should leave, in case more Death Eaters come." Minerva replied.

"We're going to the ministry." Mad-Eye said gruffly. "And you're coming with us." He said, pointing at Hermione.

"I'd rather she go to Hogwarts and see her parents." Minerva said.

"No. She has to tell them why she was fighting, and we've got get these two into ministry custody. We'll leave them with who ever is on duty that's in the order." Mad-Eye said. "Minerva, could you make a port-key to the ministry?"

"Of course." She replied and looked around the kitchen for something.

"Here. Use the letter." Hermione, said. "Pick one." Hermione laughed dryly and she opened the window to let the owls out.

"Okay, grab hold Hermione, Alastor, have you got one of them?" Minerva asked, holding onto the portkey with one hand and Crabbe with the other.

"Yeah. I've got Goyle." He muttered.

Hermione felt a tug behind her navel and a moment later she fell to the floor at the Ministry of Magic.

"What is happening!" Someone shouted.

"Er, Sorry." Hermione said to the person that she had fallen onto. She caught sight of a lime-green bowler and realized exactly who she had fallen onto.

"Get off of me! I can't breathe!" The minister of Magic shouted from below her.

Hermione hurriedly got up. "Sorry Minister, I'm a bit unsettled, after all I just dueled with a Death Eater." The words had the desired effect.

Fudge jumped up and looked around wildly, as if h expected Lord Voldemort to step out from behind the fountain that had just been installed the week before.

She looked over at the others and they were getting up from the floor.

"Miss Granger. Please come over here." Minerva said sternly, trying not to laugh. "We must talk to the aurors."

"Yes Professor. Then could I go and see my parents at Hogwarts?" Hermione asked ignoring the minister of magic.

"I'm sure you will be able to do that right away dear." Minerva said, putting an arm around Hermione in a Grandmotherly fashion. To Hermione's great embarrassment, she began to cry.

McGonagall, hugged Hermione and said, "There, there, dear. It's all over now. The Death Eaters will soon be off to prison." Minerva said reassuringly, patting Hermione on the shoulder.

"I'm sorry professor, it's just that now I know that he-who-must-not-be-named is after my family, I'm so worried. I don't want to lose them." Hermione said through her tears.

"Mad-Eye, could you get us some privacy?" Minerva asked.

"Yes. Of course." He replied, stumping over to the desk where two security men were sitting. "You. Deal with those Death Eaters. You, get us a private room and get Madam Bones. Now." He braked, giving them orders.

"Right away sir." One of them said, and rushed over to the Death Eaters. Minerva had conjured a small love seat and was sitting in it next to Hermione and was trying to comfort her.

The other security guard stood and talked to someone for a moment and the other person nodded. The security guard strode over to Hermione and Professor McGonagall, and said. "If you'd come this way." Motioning for them to follow them.

Professor McGonagall nodded and pulled Hermione up, who was still crying, but was showing signs of stopping. "Come along now, it's almost over." Minerva said gently.

They go to a small room, that had a couch on it and Hermione sat down next to Minerva and Minerva hugged her and slowly rocked back and forth. "As soon as we can leave, we'll go to Hogwarts and see your mum and Dad. They're fine."

"I know." Hermione said, in-between sniffs. "I'm sorry for breaking down like that. It was just too much." Hermione said, rubbing her eyes.

"It's okay. I'm just glad that you survived. You should have taken the portkey to Hogwarts with them." Minerva said, admonishing her.

"I know. I wasn't really thinking." Hermione said quietly.

"But you aided in the capture of two Death Eaters." Madame Bones said from the doorway. "So, Hermione Granger, on my way down I was presented with a file that said you performed quite a bit of underage magic this morning."

Hermione looked guilty as she nodded.

"Well, could you tell me why you performed that magic?"

Hermione nodded again. "Well, the first were some charms to protect my parents so they could leave and not get killed, the second was to protect my self, and the next was a stunner to the Death Eater in my room, the next was a duel with the Death Eater in the kitchen, and the last few were stunning and tying them up." Hermione said, going through the events of the last hour in her head. "Oh yeah. And after Professor McGonagall and Mad-Eye came, I took the shield charm off of myself. I'm not sure if the registered."

"It did. Do you have any idea why the Death Eaters were at you house?" Madam Bones asked.

"I think it may have been because I was involved with the thing at the ministry, or because I am Harry Potter's friend, and my death would affect Harry." Hermione said quietly.

"What makes you think that they were going to kill you?" she asked.

"Because when I entered the kitchen The Death Eater in there said, Crabbe? I assume that you've killed them?"

"Okay then. I believe that you can go now. You will still have to attend your trial, but I am sure that you will get off, as you had just reason to use magic." Madam Bones said.

"Okay." Hermione said. "What time is it?"

"Just shy of two a.m." Madam Bones said, before leaving the room.

"Urgh. I would just love to be able to get a decent night's sleep for once." Mad-Eye commented. "Well, let's get back to Hogwarts."

The three of them went and flooed to Hogwarts where they ended up in Dumbledore's office. Hermione fell out of the fire place onto a cushion that Dumbledore had thoughtfully placed there. Hermione knew that she could do magic at Hogwarts, so she cleaned he pajamas off magically, and she turned around to see her parents looking at her worriedly.

"Ah, good, you've arrived." Dumbledore said. "Your parents have been quite worried about you, Miss Granger." Dumbledore motioned to the her parents who were staring at the fireplace.

"Mum, It's just floo travel." Hermione said.

"Yes, I know, but the flames turned green and you came out, and.." Linda was silenced by her daughter walking quickly across the office and hugging her.

"I was so worried about you two. That you would end up in the wrong place or you wouldn't be able to find help." Hermione said, hugging her mum tightly.

"Hermione, your mum needs to breathe." Marcus said.

"Sorry mum." Hermione said.

"It's okay dear, I was so worried that help wouldn't reach you in time." Linda said, looking her daughter up and down, seeing if she was hurt.

"I'm sorry I stayed. It's just there are things that if Voldemort found out about, he could use to get to Harry or the Order." Hermione said, sitting in another chair.

Their reunion was interrupted by Professor McGonagall and Mad-Eye arriving.

"Now, Albus" Minerva said, looking at him to make sure that she had his attention. "Did she tell you that she captured two Death Eaters all by herself?" She asked.

"No she did not." Albus said, gazing at Hermione. "But that can wait for the morning. I've had the house elves set up room for the Grangers. They also have been packing your belongings, because we think that the Death Eaters will soon destroy your house. I am sorry, but you will have to take time off of work and you will have to stay at Hogwarts. Unless you want to be killed. Are we in agreement?" Dumbledore asked, his gaze shifting between Marcus and Linda.

"Yes, I'm sure that we can arrange that. We had planned to take the week off to spend time with Hermione so that won't be a problem." Linda said.

"I'm fine. From what Hermione's said about Hogwarts I wouldn't mind seeing it." Marcus replied.

"Good then. I don't know if you will be able to go back at all. Death Eaters may demolish your practice too." Dumbledore said.

Marcus and Linda paled a little. "You mean that they'd go that far? Why do they want to kill us?" Linda asked.

"It's because of me mum. Who I'm friends with and what I did at the Department of Mysteries, and that I chose the light." Hermione said. "The wizarding world is at war."

"What?" Marcus asked. "You mean this is because you chose the light?"

Hermione nodded. "I chose the side that doesn't want to rid the world of half-bloods and muggles."

"Well, you chose the right side." Linda said, "I certainly hope that you don't go over to the dark side."

"I don't plan on it." Hermione said.

"Professor Dumbledore, do you think that we could go to bed?" Hermione asked.

"Of course." He said. "Winky will take you to your rooms. Winky!" Albus called. The house elf appeared suddenly.

"How can Winky help master Dumbledore?" Winky asked.

"You can show the Grangers to the rooms that you were preparing for them. Show them the entrance off of Gryffindor tower also." Winky nodded to show understanding. "Thank you Winky."

Winky showed the Grangers to the Gryffindor common room and told them the password for the fat lady was 'open' and the portrait of a muggle home near the fireplace concealed a door to their living quarters. The password for that was 'home' and the portrait was spelled so you could only see it if you knew it was there. And you still had to have the key to the door behind the portrait. Winky showed them their sitting room, a small library that had the books from their home being put in it by a few house elves, a regular sized kitchen because it was a long walk to the kitchens in the middle of the night, a hall led from the sitting room to another door that opened onto the hall that the fat lady was in, so they could enter and leave their chambers from the Gryffindor common room, or the hall that led to it.

"Winky is to give you these keys. They is for the door in the hall and they will only work for you." Winky said, holding up three keys. "Also, the elves say that they got everything from your personal chambers, library, sitting room, kitchen and the strange thing with the funny white boxes in the library, but the more bad wizards came and the house got burned down." Winky said sorrowfully, looking at the floor.

Mrs. Granger gasped at crouched down by the elf. "Did you manage to get the big trunk in my closet?" She asked, sounding worried.

"Yes, the elves got everything from the attic and the upstairs." Winky said.

"Thank you very much Winky. I suppose that you know where my room is." Hermione said. "Would you mind showing it to me?"

"Yes miss. It's this way. We elves were just arranging it like it was before, we didn't get the books in just the right order, though. We is sorry." Winky said.

"It's okay Winky, I was going to move them around anyway. Thank you for trying." Hermione said happily.

"Thank you miss. Here is your room." Winky said, pushing a door open. Hermione stepped in and looked around. It was just like her room at home, except instead of a lamb by her bead, there was a lantern, and there were candles floating throughout the room.

Hermione smiled and picked Winky up and hugged her. "Thank you Winky! It's just like home! Except the view from my window is almost the same as the one from the dorm, but I love it." Hermione said, setting the elf down on her bed.

"Thank you miss! I will tell the other elves. Now, does miss want to see the other rooms?" Winky asked, climbing off of Hermione's bed and looking up at Hermione.

"I don't know Winky, I'm awfully tired. Perhaps you could show my parents around, and I'll find out on my own, or you could show me tomorrow?" Hermione said, yawning a little.

"That is fine miss. Winky will show you around tomorrow. We elves has changed one thing though. You have your own bathroom, it's through the door over there." Winky said, pointing.

"Thank you Winky. Good night Mum, Dad." Hermione said, crawling under the covers and finding that they had a warming charm on them.

"Good night Hermione." Linda replied.

"Sleep well." Marcus added.

"Er, Hermione?" Linda asked.

"Yes Mum."

"How do you shut the lights off?" Linda asked.

"Oh, magic. 'nox' dims them or extinguishes them, depending how dark I want them, and 'lumos' lights them, or makes them brighter." Hermione sat up and thought for a moment. "Winky? How are my parents going to deal with the lights?" Hermione asked.

"It's simple miss!" The elf exclaimed. "They say the words, and the spell recognizes what they want and they do it. It's what they use at St. Mungo's when they is having muggles there." Winky said.

"Okay then." Hermione said, sleepily. "Thanks Winky."

"Your welcome miss." The elf said.

Hermione smiled and muttered 'nox' and all of the candles went out except for one, for some reason, Hermione didn't want to sleep in the dark tonight.

Harry woke up and looked around his room. He had a four poster bed, a desk, a very nice wardrobe that had much more space than he needed for clothes, and his own bathroom. It wasn't as elaborate as his bathroom at home, but it was his own, and he was fine with his. Harry's cupboard was smaller than the bathroom, and Harry considered owling the Dursleys about it. Also after much begging, he had got an enchanted window that would show him almost anything. Except for places under the fidelus charm and places protected from scrying, and the girl's dormitories. He could also speak through the window, but Harry hadn't been told that, but he thought that one of the potions that they had treated it with was the Entretien Potion he had read about before the second task. Harry was brought out of his thoughts by a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Harry asked.

"Draco. Severus said that you have half an hour to get to the great hall before you have to eat lunch.

"It's lunch time?" Harry asked, aghast that he had slept so late.

"Yeah, Severus decided to be nice and let us sleep late because we were up late last night. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to go and shower." Draco said.

Harry could hear Draco walking across the hall to his room, and he heard his door shutting. Harry got up and pulled a pair of clean robes out. He looked at them and sighed. "Bob, would you happen to know a spell that would make these fit me?" Harry asked the mirror.

"I think I have a spell somewhere." Bob replied.

"Okay then. I'm going to shower then." Harry said, wandering off to the bathroom.

"You do that." Bob muttered absently, and the only sound that could be heard in Harry's room was a shower running and the idle turning of pages.

Bakbukiah looked out into the room he was in. This was definitely better than the bathroom. There the spell was. Harry had left the robes where they he could reach them. (A/N: See why he's called Bob?) Bakbukiah smiled and reached for the robes through the glass while muttering the counter spell that kept him confined to the room.

He performed the charm and watched as the robes grew to fit Harry. Bakbukiah thought for a moment and grabbed a sheet of parchment and quill and hurriedly wrote a note.

Hermione-

Harry has told me that you have a love of information and books. I happen to have in my possession Merlin's library, and I thought that you might like to visit me and take a look around.

Bakbukiah

Bakbukiah rolled the letter up and sealed it with a few drippings of wax from the blue candle and pressed his ring that had the emblem of Merlin on it into the wax and slipped it into the pocket of the robes. As an after though, he pulled it out and wrote Hermione on it. He smiled and muttered the counter spell again and set the robes on the small bench that he was above.

Then he wandered off looking for a book he hadn't seen in a while.

Harry came out of his room and met Draco in the hallway. "Hello. Thanks for waking me up by the way."

"It wasn't a problem. Severus told me to. He left me a note that kept singing in an awful high pitched voice until I read it." Draco said.

"I'm sorry. What did it say?" Harry asked, tucking his hair behind one ear.

"It said, glad you're up, get Harry up, be at lunch in the great hall, or you will regret missing it." Draco said.

"Okay then, I suppose that we should get up there then, shouldn't we?" Harry said, rubbing his eyes as he wasn't completely awake yet.

"Yeah, that would be a good idea. Severus said last night, when you were looking for your journal, that he was going to try and adopt me. How do you fell about that?" Draco said, concentrating on his feet.

"Well, we'd be brothers then. I wouldn't mind that. At least you'd be on my side." Harry said, laughing a little. "I think that it would be good, for both of us, Severus is my Dad, and I wouldn't mind a brother, and you've made a good friend." Harry said.

Draco smiled. "Good, I'm glad that you feel that way. I was thinking about it earlier, and I was thought that I wouldn't mind having you for a brother. Now if only he can adopt me, we're not sure how we could get it to happen." Draco said with a hint of sadness in his voice.

"Well, did Lucius abuse you?" Harry asked quietly.

Draco didn't say anything.

"Draco, stop." Harry said firmly. The other boy stopped walking and looked down at the floor. "Look at me, please." Harry said softly, hoping that Draco would look at him. When he didn't Harry put his hand under Draco's chin, and gently forced his head up. "Look Draco, you can tell me, if you have been. I think that you have been because you refused to answer me. It's nothing to be ashamed of." Harry said, looking Draco in the eye. "I'll even say it." Harry paused for a moment and swallowed. "My uncle abused me." Harry breathed hard for a moment. Harry quit supporting Draco's head and waited for him to look back at the floor.

"My father abused me." Draco said slowly and quietly. After he said it, he smiled a little.

"See, that wasn't so hard. Anyways, you can use that as a playing card, because unless Voldemort can restore people's souls to a person's body after they've been kissed, your father won't be fighting for your custody." Harry said quietly, and he began to walk towards the great hall.

"True, but I don't know if any of my family will be fighting for my custody. I think that Voldemort has taken my mum, and the rest of my family probably sees me as a traitor." Draco said softly.

"I'm sorry. All I have is the ghost of my mum, and my dad. The rest of my family hates me." Harry said.

"But you have your friends." Draco pointed out softly.

"So do you. I think that they all accepted you, especially after your little speech at my party." Harry said, grinning.

"So I'm not that badly off." Draco said.

"Nope. Neither am I, now that I look at it." Harry said, grinning.

The two boys reached the doors to the great hall that were already open and they both heard a loud shriek of "Draco! Harry!" And saw Hermione running at them. Harry stepped behind the other door, so only Draco was in Hermione's sight.

"Sorry, Draco." Harry said, just before Hermione crashed into him and crushed him.

Draco awkwardly patted Hermione on the back. "It's nice to see you Hermione. Now why don't you go and attack Potter?"

Hermione let Draco go and whispered, "You know very well he's not Potter. And I was not attacking you. That was a hug." Hermione said.

"Now, now, let's not fight. I think that lunch is waiting.' Harry said in a Snape-like manner.

"Shut up Harry." Hermione said before hugging Harry.

"Hermione? Perhaps you'd like to introduce us to your friends?" Linda called from where she was sitting at the table with the others.

"Yes Mum." Hermione said. "Come and meet my parents." She said, before dragging them off to the table.

"Hermione? What are your parents doing here?" Harry asked her.

"Yes, That would be precisely what I want to know" Severus said. "Also, why you are dragging both of my sons away from me." He added, grinning at Draco.

"Both?" Hermione said blankly.

"You go it?" Draco asked, his face filled with hope.

Severus nodded. "You are now Draco Salazar Malfoy Snape" Severus said, handing Draco a parchment.

Draco read it quickly and threw his arms around Severus' neck. "Thank you." He said.

"Ah, so Severus, you got that done without a hitch then?" Dumbledore asked from behind them.

"Yes I did." Severus said. "Why are Miss Granger's parents here?"

Albus' eye's flicked quickly to Harry, and then back to Severus. "I will inform you of that after we have eaten. I had a rather late night last night and missed breakfast, so I am quite famished." Dumbledore said, leading the way to the single table in the center of the great hall.

The other's followed him to the table and sat down. Hermione next to her mum, Harry across from Hermione's mum, with Severus across from Hermione. Draco sat on Harry's other side, across form Hermione's Dad.

"Hello, I'm Hermione's mum. You can call me Linda. Mrs. Granger makes me feel terribly old." She said, extending her hand to Severus. "And this is my husband, Marcus."

"Severus Snape." Severus said, taking her hand and shaking it. "This would be Draco, I just recently adopted him, and this is Harry, I've been appointed his guardian after his relatives kicked him out." Severus said.

"That is very kind of you." Linda said.

"Thank you. I'm the potion's master at Hogwarts and I brew most of the potions for the Madame Pomfrey." Severus said.

"That's a quite a lot of work." Linda commented.

"It is, but every once in a while I get a competent group who can successfully brew a potion, so they do brew some of the things for the hospital wing." Severus said, taking some of the lunch.

"I suppose that is helpful." Marcus commented.

"It is, so do tell, what brings you to Hogwarts?" Severus asked.

"Death Eaters attacked our house." Hermione said bluntly. "I sent them here, and I stayed to fight them off because I have things that would give them too much information. I also have a hearing for under age magic."

"Hermione, I'm sorry." Draco said.

"Don't be. It wasn't your fault, Draco. Remember, you refused to join them?" Hermione pointed out.

"Oh yeah, that I did." Draco said.

Hermione saw Harry start to open his mouth. "Harry James Potter, don't you dare apologize for a Death Eater attack on MY house that YOU didn't plan and that YOU could do nothing about." Hermione said.

"But, it's my—" Harry said but Hermione cut him off.

"No, Harry, it's not your fault they attacked my house. It could be blamed on me. I chose to go with you to the department of mysteries, I chose to be your friend. They were after my family to get to you. Don't let them succeed." Hermione said, glaring at him.

"Fine. It's not my fault that your house got attacked by Death Eaters." Harry said.

"Good. Now that that's been cleared up, how are things going?" Hermione asked pleasantly.

"Just great. Oh yeah." Harry remembered something. "Bob asked me to give this to you." Harry said, pulling the note out of his pocket.

Hermione reached for it, and her eye's grew wide. "Harry? Do you know whose seal this is?"

"I have an idea." Harry said.

"Merlin's. Harry, this is Merlin's seal." Hermione said, staring at the letter.

"Yes I know. Why don't you open it?" Harry asked.

Hermione did so and she read the letter a few times, and pinched herself, and read it again. "You have access to Merlin's Library, and you never told me?" Hermione asked.

"I only just found out a little bit ago. Apparently my mirror is a window to the library, and with the right spell, it becomes a gateway." Harry said, enjoying the pleasure of seeing Hermione in shock.

"Take me there now." Hermione said.

"Now Hermione, we're eating. It would be rude to leave right now. Besides. When I left, Bob was thinking of taking a nap." Harry said.

"Bob?" Hermione said.

"The mirror. He said to call him Bob." Harry said rolling his eyes.

"I suppose that Bob is preferable to Bakbukiah." Hermione said.

"Yes, I suppose it is." Harry said. "You should ask your parents if you can, they might have something planned."

"I think that they just want to explore the castle. Nearly Head-Less Nick should be able to show them around, if he's not to bust trying to get a peach to grow." Hermione said. "I wonder where he is." Hermione said.

"He's helping Lily find a good place to haunt. She checked out the prospects of singing nursery rhymes to Voldemort, but decided that there were too many Death Eaters around." Severus said.

"Oh well, I just hope that she doesn't decide on a toilet. How is Moaning Myrtle by the way?" Harry asked.

Severus looked at Harry strangely, and then Harry realized his mistake. "The entrance to the chamber of secrets is in her bathroom, okay?" Harry said.

"I wondered what you had been doing in a girls bathroom, Harry." Severus said. "Who told you about her?"

"Ummm. Peeves?" Harry said.

"When." Severus asked.

"Nick's deathday party." Harry said.

"Is there anything else you'd like to tell me?" Severus asked. "Anything having to do with Miss Granger having many cat like attributes?" Severus asked.

"Fine! I'll admit it." Hermione said. "In my second year I stole boomslang skin from your private stores to brew polyjuice potion to sneak into your common room as Slytherins to see if Draco knew who the heir of Slytherin was." Hermione said quickly. "Wow, I feel better." Hermione laughed a little before realizing that Harry was banging his head on the table, Draco was looking at her oddly, her parents looked shocked, Dumbledore had an oddly thoughtful look on his face, Professor McGonagall was looking shocked at what her star student had done, and Hagrid was chuckling softly.

"Miss Granger, you stole a potions ingredient from my private stores? How did you manage that?" Severus asked.

"Well, remember when we were making the swelling solution? And the cauldron blew up and there was a firework that caused the explosion?" Hermione asked, as Harry was slowly sinking down in his chair.

"You caused a distraction and stole the ingredient?" Severus asked, glaring at Hermione.

"No and yes." Hermione said quickly.

"Pleasedon'texpelme." Harry said quickly from his spot halfway under the table.

"You threw the firework?" Severus addressed the top of Harry's head.

Harry gulped and nodded.

Severus shook his head and laughed. The others joined in and soon the whole table was laughing, and Harry sat up a little.

"I never—" Severus said, shaking his head.

"Well, Severus, it appears that Miss Granger will be giving you a run for your money as potions master soon." Albus said.

Severus nodded. "Now, do you two have any idea what an incorrectly brewed potion could have done to yourselves?"

Hermione and Harry gulped. For the next half-hour they were treated to a lecture on the dangers of an incorrectly brewed polyjuice potion. Severus signed two slips of parchment, and handed them to Hermione and Harry. "Now both of you go to the library and you give me three feet of the dangers of an incorrectly brewed polyjuice potion and then after you hand it in on Thursday, you will report to the potions classroom to brew some polyjuice. That will be your punishment for making a potentially fatal potion without supervision." Severus said.

Hermione and Harry nodded and hurried off to the library.

Severus, do you think that was necessary?" Albus asked.

"Yes, they need to learn not to do that. Would you have liked explaining to Hermione's parents why their daughter resembled a cat? OR to the Weasley's why their son looked like a Slytherin? OR to Harry's Aunt and Uncle why he had died? Not that they would have cared." Severus added.

"They would have cared Severus." Linda said.

"You never met them. Part of the reason why I got Harry was because they had beat Harry and abandoned him in the woods. It was only chance that I found him. Did your daughter tell you that the most feared Dark wizard is after Harry and that he wants him dead?" Severus said tiredly.

"Yes she did, And I assumed that the aunt and uncle had sent word that they didn't want Harry anymore, and he could stay at Hogwarts." Linda said.

"Well, you assumed wrong. Now I must go and make sure that Draco doesn't get them into trouble." Severus said, before getting up and stalking off.

"That was interesting." Minerva said.

"Yes it was." Dumbledore replied.

"Did anyone have any idea that they were doing that?" Minerva asked.

The staff and Hermione's parents shook their heads.

"I did." Moaning Myrtle said.

"Why did you not tell anyone about this?" Dumbledore asked.

"They were doing it fine, and I enjoyed their company. If they had died, I would have let them share my toilet." Myrtle said. "I just came down here to see if someone could fix some food for me, I don't need to eat, but I would like to." Myrtle said.

"Why, yes of course Myrtle." Dumbledore said, drawing his wand out. "Do you have a plate?"

"I just got my wand back from my parents and they had fixed it for me, so I fixed up my bathroom. I have lots of plates, but I brought one with me." Myrtle said, pulling a plate out of her robes.

"Good then. I'll just get you a little bit of everything then." Albus said, as he got some food onto a clean plate and put a shield around it. He muttered the killing curse and watched the food explode, and the ghostly version in the place of the food that was there before. "There you go Myrtle, did you ever learn to conjure food?" Albus asked pleasantly.

"No, but I think I might sneak into Flitwick's class and learn some." Myrtle said before leaving.

"Albus? Did you just give Myrtle food?" Minerva asked.

Albus sighed. More explanations.

"Amy dear, could you shelve these books for me dear?" Madame Pince asked her.

"Of course." Amy said, taking the four books from her. Lovely, the restricted section. "Madame Pince, am I allowed in the restricted section?"

"Yes, dear, you are, because you are my assistant." She said, "Now you go and shelve those."

"Yes ma'am" Amy said, before walking off with the books.

By then time Amy got to the second one, she realized that she wasn't alone in the restricted section.

"Yes, we need that one." Hermione was saying.

"But why? It doesn't have anything to do with polyjuice." Harry replied.

"Are you blind? The title is The theory of potions that alter one's appearance." Hermione said exasperatly.

"Fine. Add it to the stack." Harry said.

Amy smiled to herself and set about finishing with the other books.

Hermione pulled yet another book out and flipped through it. After a bit, she nodded and added it to the stack. "I think that we've got enough."

"Harry looked dubiously at the stack of books and shook his head. "Hermione? Do you think that's too many? You know how my dad is." Harry said.

"Personally, I don't think this is enough. I know that Severus will either gripe about too many or too little, no matter how many we have." Hermione replied.

"Well, they don't call him a greasy git for nothing Hermione." Harry said, picking up half of the books.

Amy looked up at the ceiling in silent prayer. Well, now she had a legitimate reason for knowing Harry­­'s true parentage.­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ Amy finished her shelving and asked if she was needed. She wasn't so she decided on a trip to the dungeons, but first she was going to her room.

She figured that she had to tell Professor Snape about what she overheard, to use a muggle phrase, the walls had ears. She sighed and picked up the new robes that she had gotten in Diagon Alley with Professor McGonagall. Amy liked the location of her room, the entrance was off of a little known hall that was a dead end, that was really a secret entrance to the restricted section of the library.

She walked through the halls looking at portraits of long forgotten witches and wizards as she walked to the dungeons. When she reached the potions classroom, she paused a it before knocking.

Severus looked up from his lesson plans. He set them aside and said "Enter."

A young girl that he had never seen before came in. He tried his best death glare, and the girl raised her eyebrows as if to say that the best you got?

"Hello, would you be Professor Severus Snape, resident potions master and professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?" She asked, before she sat on the work table directly in front of his desk.

"Yes, that would be me." Severus replied, glaring at the girl. "Would you mind telling me why you are in my classroom, who you are, and what you are doing sitting on my worktable?"

"Of course. I'm Amy, Madam Pince's assistant in the Library. What I'm doing sitting on your worktable is simple, I'm sitting on it. And why I am in your classroom, I'm here to tell you that the walls have ears, and I'm one of them." Amy said cryptically.

"Is that a threat?" Severus asked, trying a different death glare. No response. Perhaps he was getting soft in his parenthood?

"No, it's me telling you that I overheard Harry Potter and Hermione Granger in the Library and they mentioned a most interesting thing concerning you and Harry." Amy said, before hopping off the table and walking between the desks to the door.

Severus was caught by surprise, so Amy had managed to get almost to the door before Severus came to himself, and he shut the door and locked it magically before saying in a dangerous sounding voice. "Don't you dare leave." Severus pointed to a stool. "Sit."

Well the voice got a reaction, so he hadn't totally lost his touch. Amy sat, but not on the stool he indicated, she sat on the stool that was against the wall.

Severus glared at Amy, but she didn't seem to notice as she was examining the rings on her right hand. Severus got up from his desk and walked to the row in front of Amy. He sat on the table, so he was above her, and glared at her some more. "Would you mind telling me what you over heard?" He asked.

"Congratulations." Amy said, not looking up.

"Congratulations?" Severus echoed, sounding puzzled.

"Isn't that what one says when one learns that one is a father?" She asked.

"You know about me and Harry?" Severus said, sounding genuinely shocked.

"I do now!" Amy said brightly, looking at the ring on her right pinkie that signified she belonged in the library.

Severus muttered something that sounded like a jumble of curses in different languages.

Amy laughed. "Harry and Hermione were talking about Harry's dad, Severus, and a greasy git, and you could tell that they were referring to the same person. It wasn't that hard to figure out." Amy looked at her ring, the flower's center was flashing pink, and the metal was warm. She was being summoned. "I'm needed."

Severus ignored the girl, he had to come up with a way to punish Harry. Or maybe not, as he hadn't been told not to talk about it. Oh well, Harry was going to learn the importance of silencing charms.

"Excuse me sir, but the phrase 'I'm needed, is your key to undo the charms on your door, and let me return to the library.

"Now why would I let you leave?" Severus asked, smirking at her. "Maybe I need a few fingers for a rare potion."

Amy rolled her eyes. "Please let me leave, I'm needed. Her ring was now glowing red and getting hotter. To her dismay, it wouldn't come off.

"No." Severus said. "You can break the charms, you can leave." He smirked at her and returned to his desk and resumed his lesson planning.

Amy glared back at him, and pulled out a bottle of pain killers and another bottle of water; she was getting a headache. She shook three of them out into her hand and downed them with a gulp of water. The pain in her head was reduced to a dull ache, and the pain in her finger from the ring was lessened greatly. She'd have to thank Madam Pomfrey for giving her these pain killers, they actually worked.

Severus looked up at Amy when he heard the noise of the pills rattling. He watched in almost horror as she downed a few. Severus' eyes widened. What if she was suicidal? If he was trapped in a room with himself, he just might kill himself. "What did you just take?" He snapped from his desk.

Amy opened one eye, her head was starting to hurt again. "Does it matter?" She said softly.

"Yes it matters." Severus said quietly, getting up and moving over to Amy, the greasy git disappearing for some reason.

"Pain pills." Amy said, closing her eyes and leaning on the cold stone wall. The stupid pills weren't working.

"Why?" Severus asked, hoping that she hadn't taken too many. After all, having a person die in his classroom wasn't good.

"Headache." Amy said softly, trying not to move much.

"How many?" He asked, noticing that she appeared to be in pain.

"Three." Amy said so softly that he could barely hear her.

"Are they helping?" Severus asked. Severus doubted that they were.

"Yes." Amy said.

Severus snorted. "I can hardly believe that.

"They are. I'm lucky I took the pills when I did, or removing my brain with a fork would hurt less." Amy said sarcastically.

"Could I see the pills?" Severus asked, he needed to know what she had taken.

Amy thought for a moment. She slowly reached into the pocket on her robes and pulled out the bottle of pills.

Severus took the bottle from her hands and examined them magically. God, these were strong, one would work for his headaches, he guessed. If they were this strong, and she was still in pain, that he to be one hell of a head ache she had.

"Oh God, I'm gonna—" Amy said, swaying one the stool just before she passed out. Thankfully, Severus was able to catch her before she hit the floor and did more damage to herself.

"Where first? Hospital wing or library to notify Madam Pince?" Severus muttered. He decided on the hospital wing and to save time, and not to make Amy hurt anymore by moving her, he carried Amy to the hospital wing instead of conjuring a stretcher.

"I'm fine! I just tripped." Harry said to the nurse who was dragging him to the hospital wing.

"Tripped, and then fell down an entire flight of stone stairs and ended up on the floor looking at me and the you said, 'Who're you?" Madam Pomfrey said, not listening to Harry's protests.

"Fine." Harry said, finally admitting defeat as they had reached the Hospital Wing.

"You. First bed. And you, keep him in the bed." Madam Pomfrey said pointing at Harry, then a bed, and then Hermione.

Harry nodded and Hermione glared at Harry. She sat on the next bed over and started looking through one of the books.

A few minutes later, Severus came rushing in with a limp figure dressed in dark purple robes. Harry looked up and said, "Severus?"

Hermione looked up and gasped.

"Professor? What happened to Amy?" Hermione asked worriedly.

"Nothing much. She just over heard a conversation in the library and informed about it, got a headache, took a few pills and either the pills knocked her out, or she passed out from the pain." Severus said, glaring at Hermione to let her know exactly which conversation she had overheard.

Hermione gasped when she realized what conversation he was talking about.

"Yes, that conversation." Severus said dryly.

"Severus, I assume that you have a reason for being here?"

"Yes Poppy. Amy came down to discuss a potion with me, and she got a headache. She took three of these, and the she passed out. From the pills or the pain, I'm not sure." Severus said, holding the bottle out to the nurse.

"The pills wouldn't have done that. It's part of the spell I put on them. The same spell is the one that aurors get on their pain pills. Dulls the pain, but leaves you alert." Poppy said while examining Amy.

"Oh." Severus said.

"Did you say that she took three?" Poppy asked.

"That's what she said." Severus replied.

Amy started tossing and mumbling. Severus looked at Poppy.

"Her headaches are worse than mine. I didn't think that was possible.

"Neither did I." Poppy replied. "Hermione, come over here."

Hermione set the book down and hurried over.

"She's going to wake soon, and if she thrashed around too much, she could hurt herself. Would you mind holding her so she can't move around too much?" Poppy said quickly.

"Sure, I don't mind." Hermione said,

"Good then. Sit up here beside her." Poppy said, patting the bed next to Amy.

"Poppy, if she's moving around now, won't that get worse when she wakes up?" Severus asked.

"Oh God. It could." Poppy said.

Severus and Poppy moved Amy so Hermione was supporting her upper body.

Poppy talked with Severus for a moment before he hurried off to a cabinet. "Hermione, change of plans. We're going to take the influence of the pain pills off of her and try a potion. Could you hold her tightly so she doesn't thrash around and hurt herself?" Poppy asked.

Hermione nodded and tightened her grip. After a few minutes, Severus came back with a vial of a potion that was actually a mix of purple and green.

"Hermione hold her tight." Poppy ordered before pointing her wand at Amy's abdomen and was muttering a complex spell.

Severus was holding the vial and watching Amy for any change. Suddenly, Amy tensed, and she started whimpering. "Amy? Are you okay?" Hermione whispered at her.

"Head....hurts." Amy said softly.

"Amy? I need you to drink this. Can you?" Severus asked softly.

"Yes." Amy managed to say through the haze of pain that surrounded her. The next thing she knew was that there was a vial being pressed against her lips, and Hermione was telling her to drink it, it would help.

Amy did so, and the pain cleared, and she opened her eyes a little. He saw Severus and glared at him. "I told you I had to leave." She said.

"And where, pray tell, were you going to go?" Severus asked.

"Library, Madam Pince was summoning me." Amy said, holding up the hand with the ring on it.

Severus' eyes widened. "Where did you get that ring?" He asked, pointing to the silver band.

"This one?" Amy asked, twisting it around on her finger, but as usual it wouldn't come off.

Severus nodded, and Hermione looked over her shoulder.

"Can you get it off?" Hermione asked. Amy jumped, she hadn't realized that she had been leaning on Hermione.

"No, and why I am leaning on Hermione?" Amy said, and she moved so she was sitting on her own.

Severus laughed. "She was suppoused to keep you from thrashing around and hurting yourself when Poppy took the influence of the pain pills off of you."

"Okay. Thanks...I guess." Amy looked around. "Could someone please help me get to my room?" Amy asked.

"I don't think it would be a good idea for you to leave Miss Heller." Poppy said.

"Harry did." Amy said.

"Which way did he go?" Poppy asked.

He went through a door concealed behind a tapestry across the hall. "He looked like he was headed for the dungeons." Amy said.

"He can't have gotten far. You stay here, and I'll be right back with my other patient." Poppy said before hurrying off.

"Yes, ma'am." Amy said, before waiting until she couldn't hear Poppy anymore. She swung her legs over the side of the bed. "And that would be my cue to leave." She said as she walked slowly away.

"Amy, wait a second." Hermione said. She picked up her wand and hurried off after Amy.

"You coming Professor?" Amy asked.

"Of course, Poppy's wrath is awful." Severus replied.

"Well, let's go then. Amy said walking slowly out of the ward. The tapestry across the hall swung open and Harry stepped out and beckoned at them. "Severus carry Amy, we can escape faster." Harry said, and Amy glared at him.

"I can walk fine." She said.

"Okay." Severus replied, picking Amy up and carrying her into the hall that was concealed by the ward. (A/N: mmmm. Being carried by Professor Snape. (visions of Alan Rickman as Snape carrying... nevermind, no need to make you think I'm crazy.)

"This is embarrassing." Amy said to everyone's amusement.

"It could be worse Amy." Hermione pointed out, thinking of the last time she had been carried somewhere.

"Really?" Amy said in disbelief.

"Yeah, It could be the school year." Harry said,

"I hate to point this out, but I almost never carry students anywhere. And I only do so when it is absolutely necessary." Severus said.

"But I'm not a student." Amy pointed out. "I'm a junior librarian. I've never learned any magic before, in fact I only learned that I'm a witch last Sunday." Amy said,

"You mean you don't know any magic?" Harry asked incredulously.

"I know some library related spells, and Dumbledore is going to find me a tutor, so I can at least get caught up with my age group." Amy said.

"But that would take years." Harry said.

"No, because I won't have to do all of the essays, and I will have one-on-one teaching, so it will be a little more easier for me. Not to mention that I have a lot of power, and that's more than the average first year, and I've been reading a set of first year books, and there was more that Dumbledore told me, but I forgot." Amy informed them.

"We're nearly at the end of the passage way. It comes out near the library. Amy can you walk on your own?" Harry asked.

"Yes, I could before too." Amy said. "So the so-called evil-greasy-git-bastard-and-whatever-else you call him, can put me down."

"Fine. And when you fall over because you cannot walk, don't come crying to me." Severus said, setting Amy down.

The world spun for a moment, but Amy just blinked. "I wasn't planning on it. I'm a Speaker, so I have help wherever I turn." Amy smirked at Severus before wobbling off.

"Harry?" Severus asked.

"What?" Harry replied.

(A/N: You've got the WORD!!!) "What were you thinking when you befriended that girl?" Severus asked.

"He didn't." Amy said. "I was the one who befriended him. Don't worry though. I'm pretty sure that Draco doesn't like me that much." Amy said.

"Why would that be?" Severus asked.

"I don't think that you need to be privy to that information." Amy said, walking off as quickly as she could manage.

"I think I do, as I have adopted him, and he is my godson." Severus replied.

"I think you don't need to know everything that Draco does." Amy replied fiercely. "Children need to have secrets. If he wants you to know, he will tell you, and if he doesn't, he won't tell you." Amy said, and smirked at him, and as they had reached the library, she added. "Now if you don't mind, I am going to my room, after explaining to Madam Pince, why I was unable to answer her summons."

"Good. I am looking forward to that." Madam Pince said. "So tell me, I summoned you and hour ago, why were you not here then?"

"I was in the potions classroom discussing a potion with Professor Snape when I received the summons. When I made to leave, I got one of my headaches, and I took a few pain pills, but they didn't work, so I ended up in the hospital wing unconscious. I only just managed to escape now." Amy said.

"This is true?" Madam Pince asked Severus.

"Yes, Vivian, it's true." Severus said.

"Amy you are excused from any duties you might have for the rest of the day." Madam Pince said.

"Thank you Ma'am. May Hermione come to my room and look at my books?" Amy asked nervously.

"Like I said. You are excused. Answer a steady green summons though." Madam Pince added before turning back to the book she was repairing.

"Thank you again ma'am." Amy said before dragging Hermione off to the restricted section.

"Amy! Why are we going back here!" Hermione hissed at her; Amy was stronger than she looked.

Amy grinned, although there was a shadow of pain in her eyes "We're going to my room."

"Do you er.... Live in the restricted section?" Hermione asked hesitantly.

"Hermione! Ron's rubbing off on you, and no I live off of the restricted section. Amy was counting torches off. "ten....eleven....twelve....thirteen....Let's see, the 14 down and seven over...Murlough the mad Vampaneze."

Hermione raised an eyebrow and laughed as the wall opened up to a hall way. "Darren Shan?"

"How'd you know?" Amy asked.

"They're very popular." Hermione replied.

"Can you get this one?" Amy asked. "Roach to Briar Moss." With Amy's words, a door appeared in the wall and Amy opened it.

Amy followed Hermione into her room. Amy smiled; it was like coming home. There was her bed, really, just a mattress on the floor, but she liked that. The familiar Jolly Roger over the bed, across the room was the skull and crossbones that Rolo had drawn, and given to her. There was an old fashioned dressing table with a mirror attached to it, and a matching dresser.

Scattered around the room, on almost every surface, were books. Amy smiled as she looked around. "Okay, I have a whole load of muggle books, and I heard about your parents, and thought that they might like to borrow some, if they don't have any of their own, or don't have what they might want to read. I've got mostly fantasy, but I might have something they would like."

"I'll pass that on to them. I'm not sure if they'll take you up on that because they might be too busy, and I'm not even sure if they want to stay here." Hermione said.

"Okay." Amy picked up the remote bad turned her stereo on.

"Why does that work?" Hermione asked.

"It works because the muggle studies Professor, Dumbledore, and I all got together and charmed it to work." Amy said. "I'm not sure how it works though."

"That's good. I'll have to talk to my Mum and Dad about that, if they stay, they might want to do it." Hermione said, sitting cross-legged on the end of Amy's bed.

"I'm sorry about your house. One of the portraits told me." Amy said.

"You've heard. Well Dumbledore had the elves getting our things as soon as I was out of there, and they managed to get nearly everything. I think that all they left was the clothes I had out grown, and a few things in the attic and basement." Hermione said. "It was in the prophet too, they're calling it a Death Eater attack, which is good, I suppose, but..." Hermione trailed off.

"But you wish that it wasn't your house?" Amy asked.

Hermione nodded.

"Do you want to hang out here for a bit?" Amy asked. "To tell you the truth, I get pretty lonely.

"I don't mind if you let me read some of your books." Hermione said, eyeing the hundreds of books scattered around the room.

"Sure, but most of them are fantasy or little-kiddish." Amy warned her.

"I don't mind. A muggle's point of view is always interesting." Hermione said.

"Okay. You don't mind the radio on, do you?" Amy asked.

"No, not at all, as long as it isn't too loud." Hermione said.

"Thanks, I like to listen to it when I write." Amy said, sitting down to write. After a bit Hermione chose a book (The Princess and the Goblin, by George MacDonald) that looked promising.

After an hour or so, there was a knock on the door. Without looking up she called, "Come in!"

Dumbledore and Harry Potter walked in.

"Hello Professor; Harry." Amy said, finishing the sentence and putting the notebook away.

"Hello Miss Heller. I trust you are feeling better?" He asked.

"Yes, I am. Thank you for asking professor. I decided that after escaping the hospital wing that I should lay low, in case Madam Pomfrey is out looking for escaped patients." Amy said.

"Wise decision, Since Poppy will have your head." Albus said, laughing a little.

"So I better stay here for a bit then." Amy said, looking around her room.

"Mr. Potter wanted to know if you would be able to snake sit for him since you are a speaker, and I have found a tutor for you." Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling.

"Thank you sir." Amy said.

"It's nothing. We've drawn up a schedule for you. That is in agreement with Madam Pince." Dumbledore said, and handed her a sheet of parchment.

Amy took it and quickly skimmed it. "Thank you, sir, this is very kind of you to take time for finding me a tutor."

"Nonsense, my father's Mother's sister was one of your direct ancestors, so we are family, somewhat distantly." Albus said. "Cousins a few times removed. I believe."

"Oh well, it nice to know that I've got family here." Amy said.

"Yes, I suppose that is nice to know." Dumbledore said before bidding them goodbye.

"Well, that was interesting." Hermione said after Dumbledore had left.

"What was Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Just that Amy has what looks like Hufflepuff's ring on her finger and she is apparently related to Dumbledore." Hermione said, eyeing Amy warily.

"What!" Harry said, walking over to Amy. "Which ring?" He asked.

Amy held up her left hand, the sliver band glinting in the light. "This one." Amy's said, tapping it with her finger. Hermione got closer, and looked at Amy's fingers.

"Can you take it off?" Harry asked.

"No, I can't take any of the rings off. Only madam Pince or Dumbledore can take this one off, and the rest I have never been ale to remove." She said, holding out both of her hands. "You two are welcome to try."

Harry grinned and waited for Hermione to finish trying to get the rings off, and After she finished with no luck, she let Harry try. Harry made the most progress with the band that had flower going around it. Hermione looked at it closely, and found what she was looking for.

"You have Rowena Ravenclaw's ring on your finger. As well as Helga Hufflepuff's. Not to add that the other two closely resemble Gryffindor and Slytherin."

"Hermione?" Amy said. "You're starting to scare me."

"Amy Heller, you have the four rings of the founder's on your fingers. Do you know what this means?"

Amy and Harry both shook their heads.

"Honestly. It means that somehow Amy has the blood of all four founders in her blood, and Harry has some of Ravenclaw's blood." Hermione said.

"Oh. How wonderful." Amy said.

"Hermione? Are you sure?" Harry asked.

"Yes Harry, Amy let the ring loose and Harry try harder to get it off of her finger." Hermione ordered them.

"Yes Mother." Amy said sarcastically.

Hermione rolled her eyes and Harry and Amy followed her directions. After a bit, the ring slid smoothly off of her finger and Harry looked at it, and slipped it onto his hand. It glowed blue. Harry looked at Hermione. "Wow."

"May I have my ring back? It feels weird without it."

"Sure, I'm not much of a ring person anyway." Harry said tugging the ring off. Harry blushed, and said, "I'm afraid it won't come off."

Amy rolled her eyes and pulled it off Harry's finger. She put it on hers and watched as it glowed blue. She looked at Harry and grinned. "Well, we have at least one common ancestor."

"That's interesting." Harry said.

"I just seem to be finding family today." Amy said.

"Yeah." Harry agreed.

Hermione looked at the two of them. "Um, it's nearly dinner time."

"Oh, let's go then." Amy said.

"Well, first I have to see what my parents are doing." Hermione said.

"Oh, I suppose you do." Amy said.

"Do you mind if Amy and I come along?" Harry asked.

"No, not at all. I think they'd like to meet Amy." Hermione asked.

Amy grinned. "Thanks for letting me come with you. Harry? What did Dumbledore say to gain access to my room?"

"Oh, he said something like 'Open in the name of Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.', and the door appeared." Harry said.

"So you have absolutely no idea of what my password is?" Amy asked.

"Nope, and I'm not even too sure where it is. Let's go." Harry said, opening the door and leaving the room.

Amy glanced at Hermione and she shrugged. Amy and Hermione hurried to catch up with Harry. "Why're you at the end of such a long hall?" Harry asked.

"I'm less likely to be found y students, since I'm not an official student." Amy said.

"That makes some sense." Harry replied. "Now Hermione, where are your parents staying?"

"Near Gryffindor tower." Hermione said.

"Oh, we need to turn here then." Amy said, pointing down a hall adorned with loins.

They turned down the hall and Hermione gasped, There was a portrait of a young man who had red hair, that resembled a loin's mane. He was Godric Gryffindor.

"Hello." He greeted them. "Isn't it a little early for students to be wandering the halls?"

"Yes it is sir." Amy said, unconsciously curtseying a little.

"I am here because my house has been attacked by Death Eaters and Dumbledore has offered my family sanctuary here." Hermione said, also curtseying.

"I am sorry for that young witch. It puzzles me how you have reached this part of the castle. Only those with blood of the founders may trod this part of the castle." Gryffindor said.

Amy stepped forward and held up her hands. Gryffindor looked at the rings on them.

"Oh my. Blood of all four. You are a very special person. I can see Rowena in your eyes, Helga in you tolerance of people, Salazar is the scoundrel in you, and you have courage, that would be from me. And you, Harry, you shall find Rowena's ring, you shall need it soon. It will help you through your change."

Harry stared at him.

"Sometimes Dumbledore comes down here, the headmaster is allowed here. Do you think that I've over done it with the lions?" He asked.

"Not at all, you should see what Slytherin's done with the chamber of secrets." Harry muttered.

"Never been down there." Godric said promptly.

"Amy? Where does this hall take us?" Hermione asked.

"It takes you to the portrait of my daughter, commonly referred to as the Fat Lady."

"Thank you for that information, Gryffindor. If you could excuse us, we have to meet Hermione's parents, and we are a little late." Amy said respectfully.

"Of course my young Gryffindor's, I did not mean to keep you. Good bye, and may we meet again."

Hermione, Amy and Harry all bid the founder good bye and they hurried along the hall. After a few minutes they reached another hall, and this was the one that the fat lady resided in.

Hermione stopped them by a statue of a familiar looking old man and pulled a gold chain out from under her roes. At the end of the chain was a delicate looking key. She unlocked the door and motioned the other's in ahead of her.

"Hermione?" A slightly balding man whose hair was the color of Hermione's came out of a door. "Good. You Mum and I were just discussing what we were going to do. Dumbledore's offered to let us stay here, if we were willing to help out here when we could. We don't really want to go back into the muggle world and risk getting attacked again." Marcus said.

"I'd like it if you were here, because I'd know that you were safe." Hermione said. "You already know Harry, so let me introduce Amy. She works in the library." Hermione said.

"Hi. I'm Marcus, and my wife Linda is making sandwiches for dinner." Marcus said, extending a hand to Amy.

Amy took the hand and shook it. "I'm pleased to meet you Mr. Granger."

"Please, call me Marcus, Mr. Granger makes me fell old, the same goes for my wife. Would you two like to stay for dinner." Marcus asked.

"I wouldn't mind." Amy said.

"I'd love to. I have to ask Severus first though." Harry said.

"Okay. Then, We have a fireplace, that might save you some walking." Linda said, not sure about how he would use it.

"Thanks." Harry said. "Where is the fireplace?"

"It's in the sitting room. Hermione could you show him where it is?" Linda said.

"Of course Mum." Hermione said loudly, so Linda could hear her. "Its through here, Harry." Hermione said, walking down the hall and turning in to a room that had a number of comfortable looking chairs. On the mantle was a jar of floo powder. Harry took a pinch and threw it in the flames, and they turned green and Harry said, 'Severus Snape's office' and stuck his head in.

Harry saw an empty classroom. He tried the classroom, and finally tried the private quarters. There he was. "Severus!"

Severus looked up and saw Harry's head in the fire. "Yes?"

"Could I have dinner at the Granger's?" Harry asked.

"Sure, but be here by seven." Severus said.

"Eight?" Harry asked pleading.

"Fine. Three hours from now, be here." Severus said.

"Okay." Harry said before pulling his head out of the fire and leaving Severus to his reading.

"Can you?" Hermione asked Harry.

"Yeah, but I have to be back by eight." Harry said.

"Well, that gives us plenty of time." Hermione said.

"How many for dinner Marcus?" Linda asked from the kitchen.

"I think five." Marcus replied.

Amy looked at her ring suddenly. It was glowing green. "Actually, four, I've got to go." She said getting up.

"Amy! Could you please stay?" Hermione asked.

"I can't Madam Pince is summoning me and it's green, I've got to go." Amy said, sounding panicked.

"Okay, go then." Hermione said.

"I'm sorry Hermione, maybe another time." Amy said.

"I know." Hermione replied.

"See you later." Amy said.

"Yeah, Later." Harry replied.

"Bye." Hermione said, and Amy left, and Hurried to the Library, to find Draco there. (A/N: I'm truly sorry if you feel that this chapter is focusing on Amy, I am trying to get it back to Harry, it's just not working.)

"Hello Amy." Draco said, smiling at her.

"Hi Draco. What do you want?"

"To say I'm sorry." Draco said, sitting at a nearby table.

"What are you sorry for?" Amy asked.

"I'm not sure. Severus came and talked to me about you, and said that you didn't like me, and I had better shape up because I wasn't Lucius' son anymore."

"I'm mad at you because of how you looked at me." Amy said.

"How did I look at you?" Draco asked sounding confused.

"You looked at me like I was a thing that should submit to your wishes, and just sit there prettily." Amy said, glaring at him.

"I'm sorry, if I made you feel that way." Draco said, sounding genuinely sorry.

"Okay. Do you want your necklace back?" Amy asked.

"That would be nice." Draco said. "How'd you get it?"

Amy snapped her fingers and it appeared in the table in front of Draco. "The clasp wasn't very good, and the chain was nearly broken in two places. I repaired both of those things."

"Thanks." Draco said. "Now I won't lose it again." He said, looking at Amy,

"You're doing it again." Amy said.

"Doing what?" Draco asked.

"You're looking at me like I'm lower than you." Amy said.

"Oh, I didn't mean to." Draco said.

"That's okay then." Amy said, then she caught sight of a ring on Draco's finger that matched one of hers. "So. You're a sixth year right?"

"Yeah, what year are you in?" Draco asked.

"I'm not, I'm a junior librarian assistant." Amy said.

"Interesting." Draco said.

Amy caught sight of Madam Pince, who was watching them with her hawk-like eyes. Amy looked at her and wiggled her ring. Madam Pince nodded and pressed a thumb to her ring and Amy felt a gentle burning on her finger.

"Draco, I've got to go. Maybe we'll talk later?" Amy asked, getting up.

"Later." Draco said, watching Amy walk away. She couldn't spend too much time in the library, she had to leave to get to her rooms, and when she did, Draco would follow her.

"I take it you don't like him very much?" Madam Pince said.

"No not really, it's that he thinks that he's better than everyone else. Just because he may come from a rich family doesn't mean that he's better than all of us." Amy pointed out.

"That's true. I'll have some food sent to your room, Dumbledore expanded it a little, you have a sitting room, so you don't have to keep guests on you bedroom." Madam Pince said.

"Thanks. Was that your idea?" Amy asked.

"Yes, when you asked if Hermione could go with you, and I realized that she's primarily friends with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. I decided that it was best for you to have a small sitting room, so they wouldn't have to be in your bedroom, mainly because there is only the one chair and your bed to sit on."

"I understand Madam Pince." Amy said smiling.

"You also have a fireplace, connected to the private Hogwarts floo network. I decided that in private, you may call me by my first name; Vivian." The old librarian said, smiling.

"Thank you Vivian." Amy said.

"Your welcome, now go to your room, and I'll watch Draco get more and more confused when you don't leave the library." Vivian said, laughing a little.

"Okay." Amy said, and she headed for the wall that let her into the hall that her room was in.

When Amy got to her room, she entered a sitting room, and there were two doors off of it. One led to her bedroom, and the other led to her bathroom. She nodded and lit a fire using magic, and curled up on the couch in front of it and she summoned the book she was reading from her room.

Harry and Hermione were finishing their sandwiches. "Harry, go you want to play a board game?"

Harry looked a little nervous. "How do you play?" Harry asked.

"It depends on the game." Hermione said, realizing that Harry probably hadn't ever played a game before.

"Harry? Have you ever played before?" Hermione asked.

"No." Harry said, looking down at the floor.

"Well, come on. We can play Monopoly, and we can play in teams­." Hermione said, walking to a cabinet that had all sorts of board games in it. She pulled Monopoly out and set it up for two people to play. The Granger's and Harry passed the time away playing Monopoly, until Harry noticed that he had ten minutes to get to the dungeons.

"I really hate to go, but I have to get to the dungeons in ten minutes." Harry said.

"Oh, you should go. You don't want to make Professor Snape angry." Hermione said.

"Yeah, an angry Snape whose in charge of me." Harry muttered. "Scary."

"Now Hermione, I met Professor Snape at lunch today, and he's a very pleasant man." Linda said.

"Mum?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, dear?"

"Have you gone insane?" Hermione asked.

The others laughed and Harry bid them good-bye and he walked to the door. "Thanks for having me over for dinner."

"It was nothing, Harry." Linda said.

"Well, just wait until Ron finds out that his girlfriends parents are staying at Hogwarts and are right by the common room." Harry said, and watched as Marcus and Linda laughed and Hermione blanched, but then she started laughing. Harry left and hurried down the corridor towards the dungeons.

Draco was falling asleep waiting for Amy. Was she avoiding him? Apparently. He decided to ask Madam Pince about her. Apparently she was in her rooms. He had been sent to the dungeons, with a note to give to Severus.

He saw Professor McGonagall in the halls and instinctively avoided her.

"Mr. Malfoy, shouldn't you be in Severus' quarters now?" She asked.

"That's where I was going Professor." Draco said.

"Well, I'll just walk with you, I have something that I need to discuss with him." Minerva said, wondering what Draco had been doing wandering aimlessly around the castle.

"Okay." Draco said quietly and followed Professor McGonagall.

At the Burrow

"Arthur, you're home. Why did they call you in so early?" Molly Weasley asked her husband, who had just arrived.

"Death Eater attack. Get the children." Arthur said.

"All of them?" Molly asked.

"Yes, all of them." Arthur said.

"Are we safe?" Molly asked her husband worriedly.

"Yes we're fine, we've been putting power into out wards for years." Arthur said, smiling weakly at his wife. "Just get the kids."

"Yes dear." Molly said, and hurried off to get the kids, but not before setting a bowl of stew in front of her husband and ordering him to eat. Arthur began to eat, and Molly climbed the stairs, telling her children to go downstairs.

"Okay. Today I was called to work because the Death Eaters attacked a muggle home. Thankfully there was a witch there who understood what was happening immediately and sent the muggles to Hogwarts by portkey. The muggles are going to be staying at Hogwarts for a while." Arthur said, and he paused for breath.

"Dad, why are you telling us this?" Ginny asked.

"It was Hermione's home that they attacked." Arthur said.

Ron gasped. "Is she alright?"

"Hermione's fine, she actually fought the Death Eaters and now she had a hearing for use of underage magic."

"Why?" Ron asked.

"Because instead of letting the ministry or Hogwarts deal with them, she fought them off herself and amazingly she triumphed over them. but, just because that she made it out okay, doesn't mean that the rest of you can go out and fight Death Eaters. In fact it means the opposite. You are going to be confined to the house and the yard for the rest of the summer. Only because we don't want you to get hurt." Arthur said tiredly.

"Me and Fred could strengthen the wards." George volunteered.

"That would be wonderful. You can help your mother do that." Arthur said.

"I'll help too." Charlie said, he was home for a short vacation.

"Thank you." Arthur said.

"Are you finished dear?" Molly asked.

"Yes." Arthur said, spooning some more stew into his mouth.

"Your father's had a long day, now all of you go back to you rooms." Molly said, shooing them out of the kitchen.

Hogwarts

Remus Lupin sat at his desk, staring at the candle. There was something about Amy that was bugging him, he just couldn't place it. Oh well, he should be able to figure it out later, as he had volunteered to tutor her. Along with Harry, who had practically demanded that he teach her, when he had found out the he was defenseless.

It was rather funny. Dumbledore had been telling him about Amy, how they were distant cousins, and she needed a tutor, because she didn't know much. Harry had come bursting into the office, and was demanding to know why Amy didn't know anything.

Remus had got a set of first year books and thought that they could probably cover them in about a month if they worked hard at it. Amy was going to have to work hard if she wanted to join her age group. Lovely.

Next Morning.

Harry was worried.

"I'm sure that she'll be here any moment Harry." Remus said.

"Remus, you said that ten minutes ago." Harry, said. "C'mon, we're going to check on her." Harry said, striding out of the room. Remus sighed and followed him. A moment later they reached the part of the castle that they lived in.

"Harry, I've never been in here before, are you sure you're headed in the right direction?" Remus asked, looking around uneasily. "This place is giving me the creeps."

Harry ignored Remus and he instinctively turned down a corridor, and then another. He turned another corner and he found himself in the large hall that had only one portrait that was flanked by two statues of eagles. Harry stopped and stood in front of the portrait.

"Harry...' Remus said, but he was cut off by the portrait.

"My blood is strong in you child. Yet you wear no ring? Why is this? Do you refuse to acknowledge your ancestors?" Rowena Ravenclaw asked.

"No Ravenclaw, I must hide my ancestry." Harry said, looking down at the floor.

"No more shall you do so, my child. Put your right hind on my frame. Right there." Rowena indicated a place.

"Harry set his hand on the frame and Rowena gently pulled his hand into the portrait. Harry stared at fist, he could still feel his hand, but it felt, different. He watched as Rowena held his hand and muttered over it in a strange language.

After a bit, a ring appeared on Harry's finger and glowed a brilliant blue. Rowena smiled and released Harry's hand. Harry stared at the ring in wonder.

"Remus Lupin, you will speak of the event you just witnessed to only those who have witnessed it. By order of Rowena Ravenclaw, founder of Hogwarts, you will speak to none about my newest heir." Rowena said, looking directly at Remus.

"Yes Lady." Remus said, still in a state of shock.

Harry and Remus bid Rowena good-bye and Harry somehow knew the way to Amy's room. When he reached the place it was he put a hand on the wall, and said, "Open in the name of the heir of Ravenclaw." And a door appeared in the wall. Harry knocked on the door.

After a few moments, Amy opened the door. "Hello Amy, did we wake you up?" Harry said gently.

Amy nodded and let them in. Harry noticed that he was in a sitting room, instead of a bedroom. There was a blanket on the sofa, and an empty mug of hot chocolate on the floor next to the sofa. "Well, you do realize that your first lesson started," Harry checked his watch. "Half an hour ago."

Amy gasped. "Oh no. I must have fallen asleep on the couch."

"It's okay. I'm your tutor, and it's okay that you're a little late. As long as it's only today. Now, why don't you shower, change clothes, and we can have your lesson in here." Remus said kindly.

"That would be wonderful." Amy said, and hurried into her room, and got a fresh set of clothes, and she hurried into the bathroom. A moment later they heard water running.

"Would you like to play a card game?" Remus asked Harry.

"That would be fun. What game?" Harry asked.

"Why not king's corners?" Remus said, pulling a deck of cards from and inner pocket in his robes.

"Okay then." Remus said, and started shuffling the cards.

"Hi. I'm done now." Amy said, poking her head out of the bathroom.

"Good then." Remus said, and he put the cards away. "Now, have you read anything in your books?"

"Yes. I've read the first three chapters in all of them." Amy said.

"Okay then. Now, what do you know?" Harry asked.

"I know some spell to keep books from getting wet, I learned the summoning charm, and I was working on banishing things yesterday before I fell asleep. Also I can start and extinguish a fire magically." Amy said.

"Okay then. Why don't you do that?" Remus asked. "You can put out the fire you have going now, and start a new one."

"Okay." Amy said, and she picked up the wand from the table. She concentrated and the fire went out and then she did something, and the ashes disappeared, and a few seconds later, they were replaced with a fire that looked like it had been burning for hours.

"That was very good." Harry said.

"Yes, it was. Do you know anything in transfiguration?" Remus asked.

"Sort of." Amy replied.

And the lesson went on for the next few hours, the it was time for lunch. After that she worked in the library, and did some potions, and after dinner, she would be doing any essays that she might have, or just exploring the castle. In this fashion, Amy passed her days until the beginning of the school year.

Review Responses!

**sparkling silver angel wings:** So sorry, but you'll have to wait for a few chapters to see James' reaction. Dumbledore will suffer, I'm not sure when though. Maybe when Harry never comes back... I've said too much. hehe...

**maraudette-kim**: Glad you love my story. I updated, but it wssn't soon. Sorry.

**Andromeda Snape-Malfoy:** I suppose it did change a bit. I think it was the longer chapters, so I'm going to try to make them shorter, starting with 16, and I have it sorta planned out, but when I go to write it down, I just goes away. Eurgh! Drives me insane... I'll be home tomorrow, so I should get some quality writing time in. I'm going to fix it so Harry can be Sev's son in public. BTW- What do you think of the name Avery Griffin Snape?

Okay, again sorry about the long wait. Tell me how you feel. Do you think I'm an idiot? That this story is in need of serious help? That I should shut up? okay. I'll shut up..


	15. Minerva finds out why Sibyll is kept aro...

Things Are Looking Up

Chapter Fifteen- School Starts

"Harry, get up!" Severus said for what had to be the third time.

"I'm up." Harry said, and immediately fell back to sleep.

"Lily is he sleeping again?" Severus asked Lily.

Lily poked her head through the wall. "Yes, he's sleeping."  
"Would you mind waking him up?" Severus asked.

"Sure." Lily said, and floated through the wall. She thought for a bit and she conjured a feather and began tickling him with it. Harry batted at it, but it wouldn't leave him alone.

"I'm UP!" Harry said loudly, and he sat up and glared at his mum.

"You look like Severus when you do that." Lily said, and she left to go and see if Draco was up.

"Severus, is Draco awake?" Lily asked, trying to sound innocent.

"Yes." Severus said, sounding tired.

"What, is waking the boys up too much trouble for you?" Lily asked.

"No, but the thought of all the little children coming to Hogwarts is too much for me." Severus said.

"Oh. You mean that you're dreading being mean to Harry?" Lily asked.

Severus nodded.

"It'll be fine. Remember, you and Harry talked it over and decided that anything said in class didn't mean anything, and if you wanted to spend extra time with Harry, you would give him a detention." Lily said.

"I know, but I don't know if I can do that. I'm so afraid that it could make me lose Harry." Severus said.

Harry went back to his room and softly shut his door. That was it, he was going to go through with his plan. Ravenclaw had told him what he needed to do, and had said that she wouldn't tell anyone.

"Harry James Potter! You're going to miss the train if you don't get down here this instant!" Severus shouted.

Harry winced, he still wasn't completely used to loud noises, but it was getting better. Harry decided not to upset Severus anymore. Harry shrunk his trunk and put it in his pocket. Harry met Draco in the hall.

"Good morning." Harry said.

"You call this a good morning?" Draco asked.

"No, not really." Harry said.

"Tell me about it." Draco said.

"Okay, remember, you asked for it." Harry said, a little. "First of all, I look more like Severus than James, and if people won't notice that, they'd have to be really thick, one of my best friends found out about my parentage, and he had to be oblivated, and eventually he's going to find out, my Dad's going to have to pretend to hate me, and I'm going to have to pretend to hate him, and I have a maniac trying to kill me." Harry said. "I think that about sums it up. Oh wait, I've become friends with my best enemy, and I'm a little worried about him because he refused the Dark Mark, and I'm betting that the other Slytherin's have instructions to torture him and haul him off to Lord Fart-Face and get marked." Harry said.

Draco laughed. "Well, I'm a little worried about that too, which is why I've asked Dumbledore for a private room, and I learned that tidy protection spell that Hermione used, and I've tweaked it so my friends can touch me, but not my enemies." Draco said.

"Well that's nice to know." Harry said. "Hermione was right. I have a saving people thing."

"Well, that's not my fault." Draco said.

"True." Harry agreed.

They walked into Severus' medium sized kitchen and saw Hermione and Amy in there. Hermione laughed when she saw them.

"Are you two enjoying the last few hours that you can be friends in public?" Hermione asked.

"Actually, Draco is going to be 'late' to the train, and everywhere else will be full so he will be sharing a compartment with us." Harry said.

"Oh. That makes sense." Hermione said before turning to Amy. "Are you going to be riding the train?"

Amy shook her head. "No, I'm not a student, remember, I just came down here to get a snake that I'll be snake-sitting." Amy said.

"Oh yeah, where is he?" Harry asked, looking around wildly.

Amy laughed and pulled up the sleeve of her robe. "I've got him already. He was waiting for me." Amy said.

Sirius hissed something. The other's laughed. Hermione had been trying to learn to speak parseltounge, she couldn't speak it very well, but she had a fair understanding of it.

"Do I want to know what he just said?" Severus asked, as he couldn't quite hear what he had said.

"No, in general it was a comment on the quality of the dungeons, in particular, he was wondering if the potion in the blue-black bottle was dangerous, because it's now all over the floor in your classroom." Harry said, biting back a laugh.

Severus blanched and he ran out of the kitchen and they heard him leaving his quarters quickly. Harry started laughing.

"What's so funny?" Amy asked.

"Just that that particular potion is kept in a locked cabinet in his room, and the only way it can get out of his quarters is in his hand." Harry said.

"Oh, I get it." Amy said. "It's ten, shouldn't you be heading out of here to wherever you are going?"

"Yeah, we should be." Harry said. "Take good care of my snake, he needs constant care, so you'll have him until the weekend." Harry said.

"Yes, I know. I've got him until during the week on school days, and you have him on weekends and holidays. I know what he eats, and how often. I know if he gets lonely and wants to see you, I get to take him to you." Amy said. "And that's all written down on a sheet of parchment on my wall. He'll be fine, now go before Severus returns." Amy said, shooing them out of Severus' private quarters and following them.

They met Severus halfway. "Hello Professor." Harry said.

"Hello, Potter." Severus said icily. Then he grinned. "How's that?" He asked.

"Just perfect." Harry said, then sneered at Severus.

"Excellent, but it looks like me. You might not want to do that, people could guess the truth." Severus said, giving Harry a hug.

"Like I did?" A voice asked from up the hall.

"What did you guess Professor?" Harry asked his head of house who was striding towards them with a small smile on her lips.

"That he is your father." She said. "Here, this is a picture of Severus when he was around your age, here is one of James, hers is one of you just before your Owls, and here is one of you that I took yesterday. You looked like James at the end of last term, you still have bits of James in you, but they are rapidly fading and being replaced by Severus." She said.

"Okay, there's how you guessed, and that I must get all photos of me from Colin, but what got you along that line of thinking?" Harry asked.

"Yes, Mr. Creevy was most helpful with providing the photos of you, and I saw you glared at Miss Granger, and that glare reminded me forcibly of Severus. Then I watched you for a while, and I saw that you resembled Severus more closely that I thought you should have." Professor McGonagall said.

"Well, that's most interesting, but we have to get to the gates so we can get he stupid portkey to work." Harry said.

"Harry, that tone was just like Severus when you said that." Hermione pointed out.

"Thank you for telling me Hermione." Harry said.

"Yes, well you're going to have to be careful about hat you say around people, Mr. Potter." Professor McGonagall said. "Or is it Mr. Snape?" She asked, sounding puzzled.

"James adopted him, and if Severus claims him, he is at too much risk from Voldemort, Lily said from where she was floating on the ceiling.

Professor McGonagall jumped when she heard Lily. "Lily?"

"Yes, it's me, I came back because Harry and Severus needed me, and I don't know if I'm going to be staying, but I am doing research in my spare time." Lily said offhandedly. She looked at Harry, Hermione and Draco, "Shouldn't you three be going?"

"We got held up." Hermione said, looking pointedly at Professor McGonagall, "But we were going to be just going." Hermione added before walking off, and as she carried the portkey, the others had no choice but to follow.

By the time they reached the front gate, which was the spot the portkey was set off to arrive and leave from, the other's grabbed on and Harry watched his watch.

"About five seconds now." Harry said. The portkey was keyed to go off fifteen seconds after it entered the area it was keyed to.

Harry felt the familiar tug from behind his navel, and he suppressed a wave of nausea. He shut his eyes and didn't open them.

"Harry?" Hermione asked?

"I'm fine." Harry said, when he really wasn't.

"No you're not, it went off when you didn't expect it, you're shaking Harry." Hermione said. "Now Harry, please stand up?"

Harry didn't move, somehow he had ended up face down on the floor.

Hermione leaned in closer. "Harry, Voldemort's coming over here too see if you need help getting up." Hermione said softly in his ear.

That worked. Suddenly Harry was standing up, his wand out and he was looking at the crowd wildly. Hermione was laughing a little.

"Well that worked." Draco said.

"I thought it would." Hermione replied. "Now, Harry we need to get on the train." Hermione said. "Put your wand away first though." Hermione said.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Fine. I will get revenge on you." Harry said, but it will have to wait.

"That's okay." Hermione said, dragging Harry off to the train. She shoved him in a compartment, and said, "Stay here and make sure that this compartment stays empty." And she rushed off to find the others.

After a while Hermione came back with Neville and Luna. "You two, stay here and keep and eye on Harry." And she rushed off again.

"Hi Harry, did you have a good summer?" Neville asked.

"It was decent." Harry replied, not really trying to encourage conversation.

"Thanks for the book, Nearly Headless Nick was at my house a bit over the summer and we managed to get three trees to grow. Luna even figured out a spell that will get people who aren't ghosts carry them. I've got one in my trunk, do you want to see it?" Neville said eagerly.

"Sure." Harry said, realizing that he couldn't be quiet and plan for the entire train ride.

Neville grinned and reached for his trunk. He pulled out a small tree and set it on the seat. "Look, isn't it beautiful?" Neville said softly.

Harry looked at the tree, and it was beautiful. Something about the silvery color of the entire tree, and the smell of the tiny flowers. "Isn't it a bit early for flowers?" Harry asked, sounding a little confused.

Neville laughed. "No, we speeded up the growing process, and it's under a mild bonsai spell, so when it's completely finished growing, it will be around four or five feet tall." Neville said proudly.

"Won't the fruit be tiny too?" Harry asked.

"Not with this spell. The particular spell it's under is one that will keep the tree itself tiny, but will allow the tree to produce full sized fruit." Neville said.

"Oh." Harry said, and returned to watching people out of the window. The Weasley's had just come through the barrier. Ron grinned when he saw Hermione. Harry watched Hermione rush over to him and hug Ron. In turn, Hermione got squashed by Mrs. Weasley.

Mrs. Weasley frowned and asked Hermione a question. Hermione motioned to the train, and said something. Mrs. Weasley nodded and dragged Ron and Ginny towards the train, and made them get on. Harry laughed. It looked like Hermione had informed her of the risk of standing around in the open.

"Hermione! Why'd you have to tell her that! I didn't want to go on the train right away. I wanted to find Harry first.' Ron complained.

"Ronald Bilius Weasley, if you don't shut up and quit complaining, you will be trapped in the same stall as Moaning Myrtle for the rest of your life. If you had even been listening, Harry is already in the train. Being a good boy and staying where he's supposed to stay." Hermione said, dragging Ron across into the compartment, and setting him down next to Luna. Hermione sat down next to Ron, and Ginny sat on the other end of the seat that Harry was sitting on.

"Ginny?" Harry asked.

"Yes?" Ginny replied.

"Dumbledore drugged the drinks that night. With an old potion that apparently made you happy and do things with out thinking." Harry said.

"Okay then." Thanks for telling me." Ginny said. "I feel a little better about what happened now."

"Okay." Harry said, and he pulled out a muggle novel that he had borrowed from Amy and he began to read it. After a while, Draco came in and asked if he could be in here. Harry nodded and he sat on the floor, in a shadowy corner. When Neville asked why he was hiding, Harry answered. "To keep from getting hexed." Harry answered, and right after Harry finished his words, Pansy Parkinson come in.

"You haven't seen Draco have you?" She asked.

Harry stood. "No we haven't. Please leave."

"Okay, if you see him, hex him for us will you?" She asked.

"Since when do I pass up a chance to hex a Slytherin?" Harry asked, leveling his wand at her.

Pansy left hurriedly, and the others laughed. Harry at down and pulled out his invisibility cloak, and draped it over Draco. "Only for the trip to Hogwarts, and it's only because they might come back, and I really don't want to get a detention before term has even started." Harry said.

The other's laughed, and Harry returned to his book. It was rather interesting, even through the main character was a girl. She wanted to be a knight, and her twin brother didn't want to be, he wanted to be a mage. Both of them had the gift, which Harry had realized was magic, and they decided to switch places, Alanna, the girl would disguise herself as a boy named Alan, and she would go to the palace and learn to be a knight, while Thom, the brother would go to the convent, and learn magic. Amy had said that they were really good, and apparently, she was right. (A/N: Alanna the First Adventure, by Tamora Pierce. V. good) Harry was nearly finished with it, and thankfully, Amy had let him borrow the second one, In the Hand of the Goddess.

"Okay, now that we're all here, I'd like to say a few things." Hermione said. "I'm sorry for dragging you all to the compartment, but it was necessary. The wizarding world now knows that Lord Voldemort has returned. Now, more than ever, the bonds of friendship are important. So I declare that we make a pact. A pact that says that we'll be friends until the end." Hermione said. "Who's in?"

Harry looked up, this would complicate his plans, but there was nothing he could do. "I'm in." He said.

"Me too." Ginny said.

"I'm in." Neville added.

"I'm in." Luna said.

Ron looked around. "I suppose that I'll be in, since all of them are in."

The other's grinned.

"I suppose that we should reveal ourselves, dear brother."

"Yes, we should."

Fred and George appeared one the seat sitting in-between Harry and Ginny.

"What are you two doing here?" Hermione asked.

"Making sure that Ginny and Ronnikins don't get hurt. We're being good little boys for mum." Fred said, while George nodded.

"If you don't mind, could we be in too?" George started and finished with Fred.

Hermione smiled at them. "Sure. So far It's all of us, except for Draco who hasn't volunteered yet, and Amy already signed it. She knows all of you and doesn't mind if you join in too." Hermione said.

"Okay, we're in." Fred and George said in unison.

"Okay then. Draco? Are you in or out?" Hermione asked.

"I'm in if you guys don't mind." Draco said.

"Well, you're in then." Hermione said, and she pulled out a sheet of parchment. It said in bold letters on the top, Friendship Pact. She began to read what it said out loud. "I will be friends with the people who have signed this. I will not betray them. If someone messes with one of us, they mess with all of us. I will defend these people, as they will defend me. There is no bond greater than the bond of friendship, and I am forging the bond of friendship with these people." Hermione smiled at them. "I found this is a book, and thought it would do nicely, this is actually a different version. When you sign it, a bond is formed with the other people who have signed it. When it's complete, the names will move and form a circle. You sign your full name." Hermione said, and passed the parchment to Ron. He signed it and passed it on to Neville and After Neville signed it, he passed it on to Luna, and she passed it on to Draco, who passed it to Harry after signing it, and Harry passed it on, and that continued until it got to Hermione, and she tapped it with her wand and it glowed for a minute, and divided itself into ten pieces and each of them flew to a different person, and the tenth slipped out of the window and flew off towards Hogwarts.

Hermione was looking at the piece that rested in her hand, and watched it.

"Hermione? Was that supposed to happen?" Harry asked.

"Yes." Hermione lied, knowing that what had happened had happen because one or more or the heirs had signed it. This was the same type of spell that the four founders had used. Hermione felt a burning on the bottom of her foot, and she bit her lip.

Harry felt it too, and so did the others.

"Hermione? What exactly was on that piece of parchment you has us sign?" Fred asked.

"It was just a simple friendship bond, the same type the founders used." Hermione said quietly.

Harry was taking his shoe and sock off and looking at the sole of his right foot. "Hermione, look at your foot." Revolving in a circle on the bottom of Harry's foot was a set of letters. A.H. H.G. R.W. N.L. L.L. D.M.S. H.S. F.W. G.W. G.W. Hermione was looking at her foot in awe. She read off of her foot, "Amy Heller, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, Draco Malfoy-Snape, Harry Potter, Fred Weasley, George Weasley, Ginny Weasley." Ron was looking at his foot too.

"Wow, my first tattoo." Ron said.

"Ron, it's not a tattoo, it's a symbol of our friendship, it means that there is true friendship among us. This happened when the founder's did the spell too."

"Interesting." Fred said.

"Does this have any attributes that we should know about?" George added.

"You can will it to go any where you want it to, and when someone is hurt, their initials will glow, and if you put your finger on someone's initials it is written that you can telepathically talk with them." Hermione said.

Harry visualized the circle of letters on the inside of his hand. He felt a tickle there, and when he opened his eyes, it was there. He put a finger on Amy's initials and said in his mind 'Amy?'

'Harry? Where are you?'

Harry laughed. 'In your head.'

'That helps.' Amy said sarcastically.

'Are you talking out loud?' Harry asked.

'Yeah. Why?' Amy replied.

'Cause I'm not.' Harry said.

'Okay.' Amy said slowly.

'Listen, did you get your copy of the Friendship bond?' Harry asked.

'Yeah, a few minutes ago.' Amy replied.

'Well, after you got it did you fell a sort of burning on your right foot?'

'Yeah.' Amy said, thinking that she had gone insane.

'You haven't gone insane. It's just that you have a symbol of our friendship apparently burned into your foot, that you can will to move to a different place on your body.' Harry explained.

'Okay.' Amy said, and Harry could feel her willing her mark to move to the back of her right hand. 'Harry? Are you still there?'

'Yeah, did you find it?'

'I did. Okay, to talk to someone, you put your finger on their initials and you just think at them.' Harry said.

'Is that how you're talking to me?' Amy asked.

'Yeah, that would be it. By the way, since there is two G.W.'s, Ginny is the G.W. next to you.' Harry explained.

'Okay, I think it would be best to keep this hidden, don't you?' Amy asked.

'Definitely.' Harry replied. 'I've got to go, talk to you later?'

'Sure.' Amy said, and Harry took his finger off of Amy's initials and looked around.

"Harry?" Hermione was saying. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Harry replied.

"Are you sure, 'cause you didn't look fine mate." Ron said.

"Yeah, Harry, we were saying your name, but you wouldn't do anything." Neville said.

"Oh. I was talking to Amy." Harry said.

"Who's Amy?" Neville asked.

"Oh, She showed up at Hogwarts, and we've become friends in the past month." Harry said. "Not that sort of friends." Harry said, seeing how Ron looking at him.

"So Amy stayed at Hogwarts?" George asked.

"Yeah, she's working as a librarian's assistant." Harry said before picking his book up again. Harry noticed that George was looking at his hand oddly. "A.H., she's in-between Ginny and Hermione." Harry said, to help him out.

"Thanks." George said, and set his finger on a spot on his hand. Harry opened the book and was quickly absorbed into it.

Later that evening. Hogwarts Express

'We will be arriving at Hogwarts Shortly.'

"That's our cue to leave." Harry said, motioning the other guys out in front of him. Knock on the door when you're done."

"Okay." Hermione replied.

"So, Harry, why are you not talking very much?" Ron asked.

Damn, someone noticed. "I'm going to miss the summer holidays. I got used to my room, and I had fun this summer." Harry said.

"You had fun living with Snape?" Ron asked incredibly.

"Well, I had pretty much free reign. I had to be in bed before midnight, and up by six. I had to eat regularly, and he had to have a general idea of where I was." Harry said.

"Well, it would have been nice if he had let you come to our house for the last two weeks of vacation." Ron said.

Harry coughed. Well he had better tell Ron now. "Actually, I didn't want to come."

"What!"

"Well, Hermione and I were busy." Harry said.

"What do you mean by busy?" Ron asked, narrowing his eyes at Harry.

"I mean, we had to brew the Polyjuice Potion, and by the way, you have to too. Snape found out about our second year, and I was tutoring Amy." Harry snapped.

"Okay. Sorry mate, I didn't mean to get mad at you, I was just a little worried when you and Hermione both stayed at the castle, and you two had the whole tower to yourselves." Ron said.

"Actually, Ron, I was living in the dungeons, and Hermione has quarters with her parents near the tower." Harry said.

"That makes me feel better." Ron said.

Hermione knocked on the door. Harry opened it, and said, "So sorry, we forgot to change, so would you three ladies mind standing out in the hall for a bit?"

The three girls giggled and Hermione rolled her eyes. "Fine."

"Okay then." Harry and the others guys went into the compartment as the girls left it. Harry cast a privacy charm because he didn't want anyone to see the scars that were all over his body.

"Harry?" Ron asked.

"What?" Harry replied.

"Why do you cast the privacy charm?" Ron asked.

Harry thought for a moment. "Because abused children don't like showing people their scars." Harry said. Ron was quiet for a moment. A long moment.

"You were abused?" Ron asked.

"I don't know Ron. Maybe you should ask the scars on my back from my last whipping." Harry said sarcastically.

"I'm sorry." Ron said quietly.

"For what? For the fact that the boy-who-lived isn't as perfect as you'd like to think? Or for the fact that you have a family and I don't?" Harry said bitingly.

"Fine." Ron said.

Harry pressed his finger onto Draco's initials. 'I didn't mean that last comment, about not having a family.'

'I know.' Draco replied.

'Well, actually I did, but, I know that I have a family now, but at the end of last year I had no one, and now I have a brother and a dad, even if only a few people know about them.' Harry said.

'Yes, I know. I know how you feel about being abused. Lucius did that to me too, but he always healed the marks, so nobody would know. It hurt that my father could do such a thing to me.'

'Yeah, it hurt that my supposedly, only family left alive would do that to me.'

'I understand.'

'Once I did accidental magic and healed myself, and my uncle got so mad. I'm still surprised that I lived through that beating.' Harry said.

'That's tough.' Draco said. 'This subjects sort of depressing, why don't we finish this conversation later?'

'Yeah.' Harry agreed and broke the connection.

Harry finished changing, and dissolved the privacy charm. And cast another spell that gave him the illusion that he was alone, and didn't let the other's see what he was doing. Harry was reading the book again.

Hogwarts, Entrance

Harry walked through the doors.

"Mr. Potter! Just the person I was looking for. I need to have a word with you." Professor McGonagall said.

Harry nodded and detached himself from his group of friends. Professor McGonagall led him to an empty classroom, and she shut the door. (A/N: I just had the strangest idea. I could end the story here. It would be funny, but then I wouldn't got to write my super idea, which would be a bummer, and the whole reason that I skipped ahead to the school year.)

"I understand that last year you had a defense group?" She asked him.

Harry nodded.

"You have also been assisting Professor Lupin tutor Miss Heller?"

Harry nodded again.

"Well, you have proved that you are an excellent teacher. Dumbledore has informed me that she is progressing faster than we had though possible. What I'm saying, would you like to re-start your group, only as an extra credit course?" Professor McGonagall asked.

Harry looked at his head of house for a moment. As much as he hated to do it, he would have to say no. It wouldn't fit in with his plan. (A/N: Have I been succeeding in implying that Harry won't be at Hogwarts?) "I don't know Professor. I'd have to give it some serious thought. I know that I handled it fine with owls and everything last year. I know that it is needed, but I'll have to think it over."

"Very well, give it serious thought. I hope you make the right decision." Professor McGonagall said. Suddenly, the door opened and Professor Trelawney staggered in. Harry gasped. He recognized the expression on her face. Her mouth was hanging open and her eyes were unfocused.

"Sibyll? Are you okay?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Hush." Harry said quickly. Not wanting to miss anything that she was about to say.

Professor Trelawney started speaking in a hash voice so unlike her own, that Harry had heard twice before and haunted his dreams. "THE HEIRS GROW CLOSER.... BLOOD OF OLD FLOWS THROUGH NEW.... THERE WILL BE FIVE.... SLYTHERIN, HUFFLEPUFF, RAVENCLAW, GRYFFINDOR ALL IN ONE.... THERE WILL BE FIVE HEIRS; NINE TO SAVE THE SCHOOL.... SLYTHERIN HAS IT FROM BOTH MOTHER AND FATHER... GRYFFINDOR IS ONE IN MANY, ONLY ONE IS RIGHT SO CHOOSE CAREFULLY.... RAVENCLAW'S PARENTAGE IS SHROUDED IN MYSTERY.... HUFFLEPUFF IS NOT WHO YOU WOULD THINK, BUT IS COMING ITNO POWER.... ALL FIVE HEIRS SHALL UNITE.... IF THIS DOES NOT COME TO PASS HOGWARTS WILL FALL INTO THE HANDS OF THE DARK LORD.... THERE WILL BE THE WOLF, OTTER, LION, AND FOX TO HELP.... YET THEY CANNOT DO IT ALONE.... THE NINE MUST UNITE OR HOGWARTS WILL FALL.... THE HEIRS GROW CLOSER" (A/N: Ye Gods, I hope that came across as a good prophecy.)

Professor Trelawney swayed on the spot and Harry dashed forward to catch her before she fell.

"Mr. Potter? Could you take her to the hospital wing? Do not even breathe a word about what you just heard to anyone." Professor McGonagall snapped. "I must inform Albus of this." And she rushed off. She didn't notice Harry take the invisibility spell off of Rita's old quick quotes quill. Harry skimmed over the parchment and nodded satisfactorily, it had got it all, with a lovely description of how she looked when she entered the room.

Harry levitated her to the hospital wing and waited for Madam Pomfrey to come in. A few minutes later, she came rushing in. "I'm to tell you to go to the feast." Harry nodded and on the way there made copies of the prophecy for Ron and Hermione, and Amy, since she was one of the five. But who were the other three?

"Harry! Where were you?" Hermione asked, as he sat down.

"You missed the sorting." Ron said.

"I was talking to Professor McGonagall about re-starting the DA as an extra credit course." Harry said.

"Professor McGonagall came in here a few minutes ago." Ron said.

"I was thinking it over. Who handled the sorting?" Harry asked.

"Snape did." Ron said. "I don't see how you could have stood living with him for a month."

"It was okay." Harry said, looking at the Head Table. He caught Dumbledore's eye and mouthed 'Time to give Sibyll another raise?'

Dumbledore chucked a little and nodded.

Harry spent the rest of the feast catching up with friends and eating plenty of food.

After they were excused, Harry walked slowly by himself up to the dorms and he wasn't really paying attention to where he was going, and he stopped short when he heard a voice.

"Isn't it a little late for someone to be walking around?" An unfamiliar voice asked. Harry drew his wand and muttered 'lumos' and the tip lit up and Harry looked around for the source of the voice.

"Yes I suppose that some light would be good." And the torches along the hall lit up, illuminating a portrait Salazar Slytherin.

"Hello." Harry said.

"Hello, I can see Ravenclaw in you." He said bluntly. "Why are you here child?"

"I don't know." Harry said backing away from the portrait.

"Oh,, my reputation has preceded me I see." Slytherin rolled his eyes. "Don't be fearful of me, I don't bite, but my basilisk might, if you can find it!"

"Would that be the basilisk in the chamber of secrets?" Harry asked.

"No." Slytherin said. "That was my friends. My basilisk roams the halls looking for food." Slytherin said eyeing Harry. "He especially likes Gryffindors!"

'Leave my master alone!' Serpentine hissed from the pocket of Harry's robes.

'Your master? Am I supposed to believe that a lousy Gryffindor can speak the noble tongue of the snakes?' Slytherin hiss at Serpentine.

'You better believe it!' Harry hissed at Slytherin. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have things to do, places to go. Good bye."

"You mean you're going to go and hide under your bed?" Slytherin shouted after him.

"Nope, I have better things to do, like beat up Slytherins." Harry called over his shoulder and hurried away, lest Slytherin follow him. Before going into the main halls, Harry cast a charm to make people not see him. Harry wandered around the castle for a bit before he found himself outside the door to Severus' chambers. He thought for a moment and knocked.

The door opened and Severus looked out, and Harry dropped the charms. "Hey. Can I come in?" Harry asked.

Severus nodded and let Harry in. As soon as the door shut, Harry hugged his dad tight.

"What was that for?" Severus asked.

"For being there, being my dad." Harry answered.

"Okay then. Shouldn't you be in your dorm?" Severus asked.

"I suppose so, but I never got there." Harry said.

"Really?" Severus asked.

"Yeah, I sort of quit paying attention and I ended up in front of a portrait of Salazar Slytherin." Harry said.

"You did?" Severus asked, sounding interested.

"Yeah. Apparently he has a basilisk wandering the halls looking for food, and the one in the chamber of secrets was a friends." Harry said.

Severus laughed. "Yeah, there is one in the halls, but it's cursed, it can't eat people, it can only eat rodents that aren't anyone's pets. Unless you know about it, you forgot that you ever see it. Those spell were put in effect by the other founders because they didn't like their students getting eaten by a snake."

Harry laughed. "Now I can sleep soundly."

"You're welcome. Anything else I should know about it?" Harry asked.

"Don't kill it, I think it's one of the things that guards the school, if I'm right, I think it eats intruders." Severus said.

"Pity it couldn't have eaten Tom Riddle. Then we wouldn't be in this whole mess." Harry said.

"Yeah I suppose so. Now you should be in your dormitory." Severus said sharply, glancing at the clock.

"Could I get something from my room really quick?" Harry asked.

"Sure, but be quick. Curfew was five minutes ago." Severus said to Harry's retreating back.

A couple minutes later Harry came back carrying a small mirror.

"That was all?" Severus asked.

"Yeah, the window to Merlin's library, I told Hermione about it, but I forgot to show it to her. It will work as a nice distraction." Harry said.

"What for?" Severus asked.

"Well, Ron wanted to know why I used a privacy charm when I was changing into my robes, and I wasn't in the best mood as he had accused me of messing around with Hermione, so I said, abused children don't like people seeing their scars. He'll tell Hermione, and Hermione will be tying to get me to talk about it, so I thought to distract her with this." Harry said.

"You probably should talk about it." Severus pointed out.

"Yeah, but not with her, she would say 'I understand' when she really didn't, Draco offered to talk about it with me, and he's been through some of the same stuff I have, so I think when I do talk about it, it would be with him."

"That's good, but remember, I'm here too." Severus said.

"I know. I'd have to find a way to visit you without anyone finding out." Harry said. "I have an idea, but it would take a few months."

"Well, we can figure it out. Now get to your dorm before someone tells almighty Dumbledore that you are missing." Severus said, giving Harry a hug.

"Of course, can't have Dumbledore getting suspicious." Harry said, returning the hug and letting himself out of his father's rooms. Harry grinned and headed up to the dorm room. When he reached the dorm, it was apparent that Ron and Neville had waited up for him, but they had fallen asleep. Harry summoned their blankets and covered them so they wouldn't get cold when the fire burned out. Harry climbed the stairs to the door that now said Sixth years and entered. He climbed into his bed and shut the curtains and cast a few charms to make sure that he wouldn't be disturbed. He summoned Dobby, and asked if the elf could get him these things. Dobby read over the list that Harry had given him and nodded, it would be a few minutes. Might as well write the notes now.

Ron-

I saw that you and Neville were waiting up for me. Thanks. I'm sorry that you were sleeping, as I would have liked to say good night to you once more. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. I'm going to miss you a lot. Could you please forward the letters for your family to them? Thanks mate. You and Hermione have fun. You can tell McGonagall... Never mind, I'll write her a note too. Have fun, and I'll be back, I don't know when, or where we'll meet again, but I hope that it is soon. Stay safe.

-Harry Potter

Hermione-

I'm leaving Merlin's Mirror in your care. Take good care of him. He is eager to meet you, and promises to let you borrow a book or two, as long as you return it. I visited it when you were at your trial (sorry I couldn't attend) and he seems lonely, but there are some really great books in there. I'll be fine where I am going, and probably safer than I am at Hogwarts. You have fun, and don't miss me. Do you remember when we were flying at the Weasleys? Tell Ron that I said you'd make a good seeker or chaser. You and Ginny can fight over the spot if you want to join the team. Don't miss me, I'll be back although I don't know when or where we will meet again. I promise when I come back to find you. Stay safe in these times and remember to stay strong.

-Harry Potter

Mrs. And Mr. Weasley-

Thank you for letting me share your home all those times. Thank you for making those sweaters for me for Christmas; they made me feel like part of your family. Family is one of those things that are precious and should never be wasted. I am promising you that I will come back from where I am going, and I will come and visit you. You are two of the best wizards and witches that I know. Please stay safe, and stay strong, I won't forget you. I hope with all of my heart that Voldemort does not go after you because he won't be able to find me and he may think that you are hiding me. Mr. Weasley, you would make a good minister of magic, tell Dumbledore that I said that, and if Fudge gets kicked out of office (we can only hope) the Order should get a candidate in there, and you would be good, you care about the people.

-Harry Potter

Gred&Feorge-

I suppose by now you know that I am missing. Don't worry about me, and make lots of pranks to surprise me with when I return. I will miss seeing your pranks around the halls of Hogwarts, and I will miss you two, because you could always cheer me up. George, I know that you've been eyeing Amy, but be nice to her, okay? I care for her, but not like THAT, she's just a friend. At least I hope I'm right in saying this. Do mind, she might take something from you without you even noticing. She even got away with taking my wand once. After that I paid more attention to my surroundings. I hope that you two have plenty of fun without me and come up with loads of pranks. Just an idea, for Hermione especially, something that makes you have cat-like features, like fur, tail, cat-eyes, and ears. We had an accident with a cat hair and polyjuice potion in our second year, and Hermione ended up in the hospital wing with the above features. Have fun with my idea, I'm sure that you can manage that. By the way, I would watch your step, in my month here before school I set a number of timed pranks that will go off at random times. You have been warned!

-Harry Potter a.k.a. (tell and die!) Tigger

Ginny-

Don't miss me too much, I will return, and I will see you again. Maybe we could even have another go at dating! (I am so going to get revenge on Dumbledore for drugging those drinks) Stay safe and don't get in any trouble. By the way, avoid the charms classroom on September 17th at all costs. Unless you like being covered in green slime that won't come off for a day, and it tickles you for another day. Just a warning. Try and get Colin Creevy down there for me, get a picture of him. Thanks! See you when I get back from where I'm going.

-Harry Potter

Percy-

If you haven't forgiven your parents for siding with Dumbledore, you go and do that. A family is the most precious thing that you can ever have. You have the best family I have ever seen, and I can't imagine why you could give that up. There is no reason for doing what you did to your family. If you haven't noticed, there's a war going on and if you die, without forgiving them, how would your mum feel? So go and apologize to them right now. They were right and you were wrong! Get over it! I hope that this letter burns your best quill to cinders!

-Harry Potter

A/N: Remember in GoF Percy was getting all those Howlers?

Draco-

We've only just become friends, and now I'm running away. I promise to only do this once. I hope that I haven't worried you too much, but if it helps, I'm in a safe place, and I'm probably safer there than I am here. See you when I get back. Stay safe and try not to get into too much trouble. Remember, you're good now.

-Harry Potter

Remus-

I've run away. Please don't be too mad at me. I will come back, and I'd only run away if it was absolutely necessary. I'm safer where I'm going to than I am at Hogwarts, and Voldemort will never be able to find me there. Don't forget me, and I hope that you can find time to tutor Amy, but if you can't, I'm sure that Ron, Hermione and the others would be able to help. Don't miss me, I'll try and be back as soon as possible. When I come back, I promise to find you. So stay safe, and kick some Death Eater butt for me if the opportunity arises.

-Harry Potter

Amy-

I have only known you for a month, but you are a very good friend. I hope that you get really good, and have loads of new spells to show me when you get back. Don't come after me, because I'm sure that you have an idea of where I'm going, I hate to do this, but I can't have anyone following me. In the name of the heir of Ravenclaw, I forbid you to tell anyone about where you think or know I have gone. I'm sorry for that, but I can't have anyone chasing after me. I found Slytherin's portrait. I'm not going to tell you where it is, but Slytherin comes off as weird. He likes to rhyme things. I noticed it in his sentences. See you when I get back, and stay safe. Give the enclosed letter to my snake. See if he reveals himself around you.

-Harry Potter

Sirius-

I am so sorry that I am doing this to you. I am not dead. I am not planning on dying anytime soon. I will be coming back. I just don't know when. I hope that when I come back, your name is cleared. By the way, after Pettigrew is turned in, (I think he's somewhere in the dungeons in a hamster cage with about a hundred spells keeping him in) I hope you have fun, and maybe you could pay the Dursley's a visit. Just for fun. I hope that you like living with Amy for the mean time, make sure she stays safe. Thank you. The same goes for you, I want you to stay safe and I'll see you when I return. I will be in an extremely safe place, I'm safer there than I am at Hogwarts. You're my favorite God Father.

-Harry Potter

Severus-

Remember what I said about how I had an idea about how I could visit you without the truth being suspected? Well, this is part of it. I really hate to leave you right after I've found you, but let me tell you, the last five weeks had been the best in my life. I will really miss you when I am gone, so I will work even harder so I can return quickly. Don't worry too much, I will be in a place that is much safer than Hogwarts, and Voldemort will not be able to reach me at all. I will work harder on what we were working on last year, and maybe I will get good at it. We can only hope! I will really miss you, and I can't wait until I can come back. Watch for me, I may come when you least expect it!

Harry Snape (Huh, I rather like the name, it fits.)

Professor Dumbledore-

By now you know that I have left. Let me tell you now. You won't be able to find me. Don't worry about me, I am in a safer place than Hogwarts. So, what do you think about the latest prophecy. By the way, this letter is from Ravenclaw. You might want to take a look at Amy Heller's hands. Did you know that the Fat Lady is Gryffindor's daughter? The portrait of Gryffindor told me. Hearing the prophecy, made me realize that doing what I'm doing is even more necessary, and knowing of it means I'll hurry and try and be back as soon as I can. Did you get the entire prophecy from Professor McGonagall? If not, I had Rita's quick-quotes quill on me at the time, and you will find enclosed, a copy of it word for word complete with a description of what she looked like when she came into the classroom. So, I'll see you when I return, and stay safe, and according to who told me about where I'm going, the event in the prophecy won't happen for a couple of years, so I am perfectly safe going away, as long as I return in a year. I plan to be away for far less that that, but I'm sorry that that will mean we have to tolerate Voldemort for another year or so. Best wishes! And DON'T come after me.

-Harry Potter

Professor McGonagall-

I'm sorry that I am leaving as I won't be able to teach what we were talking about, but Ron and Hermione should be able to, it will help them cope. I will be returning, and I hope that I can teach it then. By the way, I would avoid your classroom this weekend. Just a suggestion. Have a lovely year and don't mind all of the lemon drops that will be randomly appearing all over the school. Those are fine to eat though. Don't worry about me, I'm sure that you have heard by now that I am in a place that's safer than Hogwarts. Trust me, it is, and it's also unreachable by anyone unless they have the right blood, and Voldemort does not. See you when I return!

-Harry Potter

Neville-

I saw that you were waiting up for me when I got back. I hope Ron didn't force you into doing that. Have a good year without me, and I'll be hurrying back as soon as I can. I'm in a place that's safer than Hogwarts and only a few people can reach it. Please keep the others from getting too depressed. Don't let Ron blame himself, and don't let Hermione let him. I am going away for my own reasons, and you are free to tell them that. You and Luna have fun.

-Harry Potter

Luna-

I don't know you very well, but thanks for attending my birthday party, and thank you for your help at the DoM. Don't worry about me, and have fun. I'm safer where I'm going than I am at Hogwarts, and I will return when I can. You and Neville have fun, and stay safe.

-Harry Potter

Harry set his quill down and looked at his watch. Good he still had some time. Dobby suddenly appeared, with a large basket. "Here are the things Harry Potter has asked for." He said, setting it down next to Harry's trunk.

"Thank you Dobby." Harry said, smiling sadly at the elf.

"What is wrong Harry Potter, sir?" Dobby asked.

"Nothing." Harry said. Could you wait for a minute though?"

"Yes Harry Potter sir." Dobby said quietly.

Harry quickly addressed the envelopes to his friends and tied the ones for the Weasley's in a bundle, the red howler sticking out like a sore thumb. "Dobby, in two days, can you deliver these letters to who they are addressed to?" Harry asked.

Dobby took the letters and flipped through them. "Yes Harry potter sir, but what about these ones?" He asked holding up the ones for the Weasley's and Amy.

"Give then to the person on top. Ron and Amy." Harry said.

"Okay Harry Potter sir." Dobby said. "Is that all?"

"Yes it is. Good bye." Harry said, as he watched the elf pop out of existence.

Well, that's taken care of. Harry thought as he pulled his Firebolt out of his trunk, and he shrunk the trunk and the basket, and put them into a pocket of his quidditch robes (They were the warmest) that were charmed to be black. He undid the charms on his bed and opened the curtains; good Seamus and Dean were asleep. He cast a sleeping charm that would keep them in deep sleep for an hour. Using his pocket knife, he got a chunk of wood out of the back of the drawer in his nightstand and transfigured it into a trunk that resembled his closely. Harry put that at the end of his bed and made the bed covers look like he had slept in there, and lastly, he looked around the room once more, this was very likely the last time he would see this room. Harry sighed and opened the window and flew out of it on his broom.

Hovering outside of the window, he shut it and locked it with his and, before doing the charm that altered what he left behind, the one that made it look like he had spent hours in his bed and gotten up and went downstairs, and out of the common room, after that it was not necessary to make false magical tracks, the other students would cover any that were there up. Harry was quite pleased with the new spells he had learned that summer. After that Harry flew up about a hundred feet, and looked down at Hogwarts. He would really miss it. The last spell he cast was an invisibility one, so incase there was the random muggle with a telescope, he wouldn't be seen. Harry flew up to where the wards ended over Hogwarts, and he flew over the wards and set off on a southerly direction.

A/N: God that was hard to write, the letters almost made me cry for some strange reason.

The next morning.

Ron woke up and looked around. Harry! "Neville!" Ron said. The other boy woke up. "Did Harry ever come in?" Ron asked.

"I think so, I remember hearing his voice summoning my blankets and I seem to have them now, I think that he didn't want to wake us." Neville said.

"Okay then. I think he's mad at me a little, so I'm going to up and see if he's still in the dorm." Ron said, getting up and dragging his blankets behind him like a little boy.

"I think I'll head up with you." Neville said.

But when they got up to the dorm, Harry was no there. But his trunk was and his bed looked slept in. After a while, they headed down to breakfast. Harry wasn't at breakfast either. Dumbledore made an announcement, though.

"May I have you attention please. Classes for Thursday and Friday are canceled due to the fact that a great deal of the teachers have been asked to attend ministry meetings on the subject of Lord Voldemort. Please use this extra time to catch up on friendships, look over your essays and study for class. Thank you."

Ron blinked and grinned. "I'll bet that's where Harry is." He said to Hermione who had been wondering aloud where Harry was.

"Why didn't her tell us?" Hermione asked.

"Probably 'cause he didn't have time too." Ron said.

"Okay, I hope you're right." Hermione said.

But they were wrong. Harry was on his way to a place where time passed a lot faster and visitors aged at the normal rate, and he would study under some of the greatest wizards ever known.

Dumbledore rubbed his temples and wondered why the school felt different. He had many things on his mind. Suddenly a bag of lemon drops appeared in front of him. Harry Potter's voice came out of it.

"Would you like a lemon drop sir?" Harry asked.

"Why thank you, I believe I will." Dumbledore replied and took one.

"Your welcome sir." The bag replied in Harry's voice and the bag popped out of existence.

Harry grinned and thought about who to offer a lemon drop next. He was glad he had found that spell. He had a way of keeping in touch while he was gone. Harry thought about who next when he saw his destination. He sighed and angled his broom into a dive.

He saw someone standing outside of the gates.

"Hello Harry, we've been waiting for you." Merlin said, leading Harry through the gates. "Are you sure that you want to do this?"

Harry nodded. "I have to defeat an evil wizard, and this is a good way. I can get years of studying in and not have as much time pass in my world." Harry said.

"Okay. You have a day to get used to your surroundings. Your room are near the rooms of the founders." Merlin said.

"Thank you for letting me stay." Harry said.

"It wasn't for me to decided. Time decided it. Time also decided that once you arrive here you shall not age, or if you are here, you will age at the normal rate of your kind." Merlin said, now here are your rooms, and I hope you enjoy them. "Your god-father has left something for you." He added.

"Sirius Black left something for me?" Harry asked, his throat choking up.

"Yes, this is the place beyond the veil." Merlin said. "Mainly it is letters, and the rest are a few things that he made and didn't have a chance to bring with him."

"Thank you. Where are they?" Harry asked.

"They are one your bed." Merlin said before leaving.

Harry rushed over to his bed. There was a large box that contained a pile of letters.

Dear Harry-

Well, they tell me that you think I am dead. I am sorry for that. I'm not, but I won't be able to send this letter. I'll bring it back with me. Today I had a council with Time and Time said that I will be sent back to the land of the living, but I'll be here for a while. Time also told me that you will be here also. So I decided that if I got pulled away and didn't have a chance to get these to you, I left instructions with James to give them to Merlin to give to you when you came.

Harry gasped. James!

James also told me to tell you that he isn't your father. He knew this and doesn't mind, he enjoyed you when he was alive and thinks that you will grow into a fine son and an even better man. I won't tell you who your real father is, James made me swear not to. He said that is for Lily and your father to tell you. I will write more later, they say that time passes differently here, so I will have plenty of time to write you.

-Sirius

Well, Harry knew who he was going to lemon drop next.

Sirius was reading one of Amy's books, waiting for Amy to return so they could play chess. Hiding in Hogwarts was boring, but it was better than Grimmauld place. Suddenly there was a bag of lemon drops in front of him.

"Sirius Black." Harry's voice said.

"Yes?" He asked.

"Would you like a lemon drop?" Harry asked.

"Sure." Sirius said and took a lemon drop.

"You knew." Harry said through the bag of lemon drops.

"Knew what?" Sirius asked, biting the lemon drop.

"That Severus is my father." Harry said.

Sirius immediately choked on the lemon drop. "Well, yes, but I wasn't supposed to tell you." Then something clicked. "Harry James Snape. Did you or did you not fall through a veil recently?"

The bag full of lemon drops laughed. "No, I used a different entrance. I've come here to do some training for the final battle." Harry said.

"Okay, that makes sense." Sirius said.

"Take another lemon drop." Harry said.

Sirius obliged him. "The bag of Lemon drops is your contact isn't it?" Sirius said.

"Yeah. As long as people keep taking lemon drops I'm good."

"But with the time thingy you're spending hours doing this?' Sirius told the bag of lemon drops.

"No, 'cause I got the spell directly from Time, and when I'm talking, the time difference is irrelevant. It's great, so if I spend five minutes talking to you, that's all that has passed in both places." The bag of lemon drops said.

"Oh." Sirius said.

"But the catch is, you've got to get someone who doesn't know what it is to take a lemon drop first and you have to do it in the time that you'll be talking to someone." Harry said.

"Who was your test bunny?" Sirius asked.

"Dumbledore, who else can refuse a lemon drop?" Harry asked.

"Too true." Sirius replied.

"What day is it?" Harry asked.

"Thursday." Sirius replied.

"Okay then, on Friday or Saturday, depending on how Dobby took my orders, you'll be getting a letter from me telling you that I'm sorry I ran off on you, and not to worry, as I am safer here than I am at Hogwarts." The bag of lemon drops said.

"Okay." Sirius said.

"I'm going to go now, I think I'll read some more of those letters." Harry said through the bag of lemon drops.

"Okay. I'm glad that you got them." Sirius said. "Bye." He said and the bag of lemon drops popped out of existence.

Harry grinned. All was right in the world. Sirius knew where he was, and he had been here before, and apparently he was okay with Severus as his father. Harry shook his head and decided that it would be a good time to go to sleep, tomorrow was going to be a long day.

A/N: Hmm. My author notes seem to have diasppeared. Or I deleted them. Oh well...

**Sparkling silver angel wings:** Dumbledore will suffer. That's in chapter 18 which I just finished yeaterday instead of doing my English homework. I'm still glad that you love the chapter, and you are my most frequent reviewer. Very glad that you do review, you've brightened up my day many times. My English beckons... it was due today, so i should get it done...


	16. I have siblings?

Harry woke up and he stretched out. There was a knock on his door and he called. "Come in."

Merlin walked in with Ravenclaw. "Hello Harry. Rowena is going to be giving you lessons, and this afternoon you will have physical training. After a few weeks of physical training you will start on weapons." Rowena said.

"Okay. When do I start?" Harry asked.

"You start in ten minutes." Merlin said. "You have ten minutes to get dressed and out in the front courtyard. There will be someone to show you the way outside your door." Marlin said, and he left the room, with Rowena.

Harry got up and rushed to his bathroom and showered quickly and he hurried putting on the robes that they had left for him. He opened the door and there was a boy standing across the hall from him. The boy had green eyes like his.

"Hello, are you Harry Potter?" The boy asked.

"Yes. Who are you?" Harry asked the boy.

"I'm your half brother, James Potter. Your Mum was here, but she left to visit you. Time says that she'll be back soon." James said.

"You're my half brother?" Harry asked.

"Yes, Lily and James, my dad, came here after Voldemort attacked them. They were granted the right to have children here, and because of that, I was born. I have three brothers, counting you, and three sisters." James said.

"I do?" Harry asked, a little confused.

"Yes you do, and I've been instructed to take you to the training courtyard, you'll be in my class because you are just starting." James said. "Now come on, we have to hurry. By the way, people usually call me Jamie, okay? James is my dad."

Harry laughed weakly. "Okay, Jamie. Got it." Harry said. "Now let's get to the courtyard."

"Okay then. Follow me." Jamie said, and Harry followed him through the marble halls of the Citadel, stowing away the new found knowledge of a family in the back of his head, for when he had time.

"Jamie, so good to see you. Now, who is your friend?" The training master asked, looking at Harry.

"This is Harry James Potter Snape, my half brother. He is here to further his education. He is the prophesied one who has the chance to defeat Voldemort. He is also the heir to Ravenclaw." Jamie said, and stepped back, leaving Harry standing alone.

"So. Harry Potter. Come to the Citadel of Time to learn. Is this true?" The training master asked, walking around Harry.

"Yes it is true." Harry said.

"I thought so. You are a little small, but you have good reflexes, and you will do well if you apply yourself." The training master said. "Draw your wand. Let's see how you can do in a duel."

Harry drew his wand and faced the training master. The others watched on, and wondered how Harry was going to do. They had all had to duel the training master when they joined the group.

The training master cast the first spell, which Harry stepped out of the way. Harry had decided to see what the training master had in him, before casting any spells. The training master cast two more spells in rapid succession. Harry stepped out of the way of the stunner, and ducked the dark purple jet of light. The training master cast another few spells, all the same color, and Harry had nowhere to dodge, so he finally put up his shield spell and grinned when he felt the power being absorbed into it. Harry dropped the shield and cast his first offensive spell, it was a weak spell meant to distract, and Harry sent the animagi spell that changed a person into an animal at him.

Harry watched in satisfaction as the training master changed into a duck, and Harry conjured a cage large enough for a man around the duck. The duck glared at him, and Harry laughed and made the wall solid halfway and filled the cage with water. The duck quacked at Harry and swam in a circle. Harry walked over and picked up the training master's wand.

Harry sat and waited for the five minutes to pass, and watched as the training master changed back into a tall man with long blond hair that was now mussed up instead of tied back like before. "Do you yield?" Harry asked.

"I yield. Now get me outta here." The training master growled.

"Okay." Harry laughed, and a door in the cage opened, and the water came spilling out onto the grass.

"I am Warric." The training master said.

Harry nodded and handed Warric his wand. "That was fun." Harry said.

"Yes it was, I haven't had a duel like that in ages." Warric said.

"I haven't had a duel when the person I was dueling wasn't trying to kill me in a long time." Harry said.

"That is sad, for one your age." Warric said.

"I can deal." Harry shrugged.

"Yes, I'm sure, now go and sit over there and pay attention, note taking would be a good idea." Warric said, motioning Harry over to a spot on the grass. Harry went over and sat on the grass. Warric waited for a moment and began lecturing on defensive and offensive spells. Harry paid close attention, and took notes that would rival Hermione's.

After about a two hour lecture, Harry and the others were allowed to try the spells that they had learned about. Harry already knew a few, and mastered most of the others, and he tried out a few of them. They had a short essay due the next week on the spells they had learned and they had to master most of the spells by the next lesson. After lunch, which Harry had in his rooms, Harry attended a lecture on the basics of physical strengthening, and did a round of exercise, and by the end of that Harry felt ready to die. Jamie laughed at him, and said, that it would get easier in a while. Although he didn't say how long a while was.

The teacher there, recommended a hot bath would do his muscles good, after he had spent fifteen minutes stretching. Jamie said, he might be by later that night to see how Harry was doing.

Harry was sitting on his bed when someone knocked on the door. Harry got up and winced. He walked to the door and opened it. There standing on the other side was Jamie, and James. "Hello." Harry said after a while. "Would you like to come in?"

"Of course, Harry." Jamie said grinning like a maniac, and came in, dragging James after him. James was staring at Harry.

"This can't be real." James said softly.

"Dad! It is, Harry is here to learn. He'll only be here for a while though." Jamie said, sitting up on Harry's bed, while James sat down on a chair.

"Harry." James said, looking at Harry and wiping his eyes where there were some tears.

"Yes. I'm Harry." Harry said softly. "This is the man that I'm growing into. I hope that you can accept me." Harry said.

"I can." James said. "I've missed you so much. Even though you weren't mine, I still loved you like you were mine." James said.

"I understand." Harry said. "Can I hug you?" He asked softly.

James smiled. "Of course. By blood you may not be my son, but in spirit you are." James said, and walked over to where Harry stood and gave him a hug. Harry sniffed and hugged him back.

"So. Did Lily find you?" He asked.

"Yeah, she did." Harry said.

"So you know that Severus is your Dad?" James asked.

"Yeah, I know. I think, that if Voldemort hadn't happened, she would have married him." Harry said.

"I know. I've always known that I was her second choice, but she grew to love me as I loved her." James said, with a small smile on his face.

"Yeah. So how are you?" Harry asked.

"Fine, for being dead." James said, laughing a little.

"But you're not?" Harry said.

"I am dead in you time sequence, but Lily and I were given a second chance in this time." James said. "How is Severus taking the news that you're his son?" James asked.

"He's fine, but I'm really worried about how he's going to take the fact that I'm missing." Harry said.

"Yeah, that will be hard on him." James said.

"I could be worse though. Time let me have a bag of lemon drops contact." Harry said.

"How's that work?" James asked, sounding curious.

"I'm not sure, but I know that it's really handy, even though with the time difference, if I check in once a day, the bag will pop up about every half hour. It's nice." Harry said.

"Okay. Jamie has a pile of homework, and you're in most of his classes, and as much as I'd like to get to know you, you should get your work done." James said.

"Yes, I suppose that I should do that." Harry said. He watched James and Jamie leave and got to working on his homework.

An few hours later Harry got up and stretched. Well, that was done. Doing the essay had given him some ides on how to master the five spells that he couldn't. He wrote them down for class tomorrow, he already knew that they would be working on mastering the spells. He decided to lemon drop Hermione.

Hermione Granger was worried about Harry. Dumbledore had been at dinner, and Harry hadn't been. After looking in the library, and all over the castle, she had gotten Amy to open up the chamber of Secrets to see if Harry was hiding down there. He wasn't and now she was up in Dumbledore's office covered in slime.

"Miss Granger, why were you in the Chamber of Secrets?" Dumbledore asked for the third time.

"Educational purposes. I was going to go down there and explore, and then write a book on what I found down there." Hermione said.

"Miss Granger, that is not the reason you were down there." Dumbledore said. "Tell me."

"I already told you." Hermione said, glaring at Dumbledore's nose.

"You told me one of the reasons you were down there. Tell me the main reason."

"Fine. I was looking for Harry. Happy?" Hermione snapped.

"What do you mean by that?" Dumbledore asked.

"I mean, we couldn't find Harry. I haven't seem him since the feast last night. I looked in the astronomy tower, I looked in the Quidditch Pitch, I asked Hagrid if he's seen Harry, I even bugged Professor Snape, I searched the Library, I made Amy take me into the old part of the castle, and as a last resort I looked down in the Chamber of Secrets. I'm out of ideas." Hermione said.

"You mean the last time you saw Harry was last night at the feast?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes. Professor Snape saw him after curfew, he came and got his mirror from his room down there. That was the last anyone saw him, although Neville remembers him summoning his and Ron's blankets last night because they fell asleep waiting for him." That's the last anyone remembers him." Hermione said frantically.

"Is that all you know Miss Granger?" Dumbledore asked, he felt that there was more to what she was saying.

"I can't reach him." Hermione said quietly.

"What do you mean by that?" Dumbledore asked.

Hermione closed her eyes and willed the circle of initials to show on the back of her hand. "On the train here, we did a friendship bond. This part just happened, I was going to research it more, but so far we know it allows us to talk telepathically. When you put your finger on the person's initials." Hermione said, sounding ashamed.

"Don't be ashamed of it my dear, you should be proud, there is true friendship among your friends. Heaven knows that we need it in these dangerous times." Dumbledore said, watching the initials circling slowly. "Is that why you performed the rite?"

Hermione nodded. "I did it because friendship is important, and Voldemort has a gift for spreading discord and making people enemies of one another. I thought that it would help us fight against Voldemort." Hermione said, staring at the floor.

"I have a book that would help you. Would you like to borrow it?" Dumbledore asked.

"What's it called?" Hermione asked.

Dumbledore smiled. "An In-Depth Study of the bond of True Friendship. I think it would be just the book for your particular situation."

"That would be wonderful." Hermione said.

"Okay, just let me get it." Dumbledore said, and he got up and went over to a bookshelf and started muttering. "Ah! Here it is." He handed the book to Hermione and said "Be careful with it, it is very old."

"I'll be very careful with it sir." Hermione said, holding the book carefully. She set the book on Dumbledore's desk and shook her shoulders and the slime from the pipes disappeared from them. "Enchanted robes." She said an as explanation. "Am I excused?"

"Yes you are excused, I have to go and look for Harry." Dumbledore said.

Hermione nodded and left. She left and went to the library. Just before she came in the library a bag of lemon drops appeared in front of her.

"Would you like a lemon drop Hermione?" The bag asked in Harry's voice.

"Sure." Hermione said and took a lemon drop.

"So what's new?" Harry asked through the bag.

"Oh nothing, I just spent the entire day looking for you." Hermione said.

"Did you find me?" Harry asked.

"No. Where are you?" Hermione asked.

"Well, I'm somewhere safe." Harry said.

"What do you mean by that?" Hermione asked.

"I mean I am safe, and I am fine, don't worry, and you should get a letter in a few days from me." Harry said.

"You get your butt back at Hogwarts right now." Hermione said.

"I can't." Harry said.

"You can and you well." Hermione said.

"No I won't." Harry said.

"Yes you will." Hermione said, raising her voice.

"No I won't." Harry said louder.

"Yes you will." Hermione shouted at the bag of lemon drops.

"No, I won't." Harry said. This was fun.

"Yes you will." Hermione shouted back.

"No!" Harry shouted.

"Yes you will!" Hermione shouted back.

"No, and good-bye." The bag of lemon drops said before disappearing.

"Hermione? Why were you arguing with a bag of lemon drops?" Ron asked, coming out of the library.

"You'll find out." Hermione said before stomping off to her room.

Ron muttered something like 'Women!' before going into the library.

Harry sighed. He should have known that Hermione would have noticed him missing soon. Well, he was going to have an early morning tomorrow, so he better get some sleep.

Harry woke up and looked around. He took a quick shower, and there was breakfast on his desk with a note.

Harry-

Here is your breakfast, you missed it today, but you are expected to be down in the dining hall this evening. Jamie or one of his sisters will come to show you the way.

-James

Harry smiled. He would probably save this note for a while. While he should probably eat quickly and head down to the courtyard he had had his lessons in the day before. When he got there only Warric was there.

"You're early." He greeted him.

"I wasn't sure what time it started." Harry said.

"Well you have about fifteen minutes before we start." Warric said.

"Okay. Do you mind if I stay here for a bit?" Harry asked.

"Not at all. How's your essay coming?" Warric asked Harry.

"I finished it." Harry said.

"Really?" Warric asked.

"Yes, one of my friends back home would always nag us to do out homework right away. So I decided that I should take her advice and work hard." Harry said.

"Okay. How are you with mastering the spells?" Warric asked.

"I've got most of them, but there are five that I can't get." Harry said.

"Any ideas on how you might get them?" Warric asked.

"Yeah, I had them when I was doing my essay. I wrote them down so I wouldn't forget." Harry said.

"May I see them?" Warric asked him.

Harry thought for a minute. "Sure." Harry said and pulled them out of the pocket in his robes, dark blue this time.

Warric read them over. "I think that these would work. Don't let the other's see this, they have to figure it out by themselves. Is it okay with you if I use your ideas in next weeks class?" Warric asked.

"I don't mind." Harry said.

"Okay thanks." Warric said, and he began looking through his lesson plans.

Harry moved to the small desk that he had sat at yesterday, and stretched out on the grass next to it and looked up at the sky. He watched the clouds over head, wondered what happened when it rained.

"Warric? What happens when it rains?" Harry asked.

"The courtyard is charmed to stay dry when it is in use by a class." Warric answered.

"Okay." Harry said, and let hid mind wander.

After a few minutes, the rest of the class began to arrive, and Harry sat up and adjusted the height of his desk, and made it low so he could lay next to it on the grass.

A few minutes later class began, today the lecture was short, and they were to practice the spells for the rest of the time. Warric was sitting on a platform that was floating about fifteen feet in the air, and he was watching them from up there.

By the end of the class Harry had gotten three of the five spells from yesterday. So he would have to work on the last two the next day.

In the class where Harry was going to learn to wield a sword there was dueling among the older students that the younger students were allowed to watch. Of course they had to still work out, but they did that after they watched a few duels. Harry decided that he was going to work hard, because the fencing looked like fun. That night he had no homework, but there was an optional class that learned things that they might not get until later. Harry found out the potions was a class that was very advanced, mainly because the students brewed dangerous potions quite frequently. Rowena had plead his case, and he was allowed to enter into the potions class. Harry found out that is schedule hadn't been completely figured out, he was just doing the basic schedule, and it was liable to change, he would probably have a final schedule by Sunday.

Harry sighed. At least he was done for today. He decided to lemon drop Severus.

"Albus, are you sure that you have no idea where Harry is?" Severus asked.

"No I do not. Hermione Granger informed me of the fact that he was missing. She checked nearly everywhere, she even checked the Chamber of Secrets." Dumbledore told Severus.

"Well I refuse to accept that Harry has run away. He's got to be here somewhere." Severus said.

"I've asked the portraits, and they can't find him anywhere." Dumbledore said.

"Did you ask his friends?" Severus asked.

"No, I came to you first, I thought that you might have an idea of where he is." Dumbledore said.

"Well, I don't." Severus snapped and turned away from Dumbledore. Suddenly, a bag of lemon drops popped into existence in front of his face.

"Hello Severus." Harry's voice said from the bag of lemon drops.

"Harry?" Severus asked.

"No, it's the god of the bag of the lemon drops that gives people lemon drops." Harry said sarcastically through the bag.

"Really?" Severus asked, smiling a little.

"No, it's me." Harry said.

"That's a relief." Severus said.

"Oh, so you found out that I've gone." Harry said.

"Yeah, I did. Are you going to come back anytime soon?" Severus asked.

"I'm not sure, but would you like a lemon drop?" Harry asked, knowing that Severus had to take one.

"Why?" Severus asked.

"If I'm going to stay around and talk to you, you have to take a damn lemon drop." Harry said irritably.

"Fine." Severus said, and took a lemon drop, grumbling about it.

"So how are you?" Harry asked.

"Worried about you." Severus said.

"Don't be. I'm fine, I'm in a place that's safer than Hogwarts. I'm learning some interesting things too." Harry said.

"Okay. Will you check in every once in a while?" Severus asked.

"I'll try. It all depends on Time." Harry said.

"Okay." Severus said.

"By the way, you'll never guess who I've met here." Harry said.

"Who?" Severus asked.

"I'm not telling, you have to guess. Next time maybe, my half-brother is visiting me." Harry said, and called the bag of lemon drops back to him.

"Well, that was interesting." Dumbledore said.

"Yes." Severus replied.

"What do you think of the half-brother comment?" Dumbledore asked.

"I've got to think about that." Severus thought for a moment and called Lily.

After a bit, Lily came and she looked at Severus. "Yes?" She asked.

"Harry just made a most interesting comment. He said something about his half brother visiting him. Could you tell me what that means, since I don't remember siring any other children."

If Lily wasn't a ghost, she would have paled. "Has Harry gone missing?" She asked.

"Yes he has." Severus said.

"Than he's in the Citadel of Time." Lily said. "That's where I belong."

"What!" Severus snapped. "The Citadel of Time! That's not real!"

"Severus, it's real. It's where I belong. I have children there. James is there. Sirius was there. Harry is there." Lily said. "I'm sorry, but I've got to leave. I'll see that Harry gets back soon. Do you have anything that you want to tell him? I'll be leaving soon." Lily said, silvery tears running down her face.

"Okay. I'll write a letter." Severus said. "You never explained the half-brother thing."

"Oh, that. There's Jamie, and Jessie, they're twelve and twins. Sirius, he's eight, then there's Hermione, who is six, and then there's Rose, she's four and the baby, he's only a year old. James and I agreed to call him Severus, we'd like you to be his god-father, if you don't mind."

Severus thought for a moment. "I wouldn't mind. Could you get pictures of them when you get back?" Severus asked.

"Of course." Lily smiled. "Maybe you could come and stay for a few years." Lily said, her eyes dancing mischievously.

"Years!" Severus squeaked.

"Of course, I expect that Harry will be there for a few years at least." Lily said.

"Not if I can do anything about it." Severus said.

"Did I forget to mention that the two places run on different time tracks?" Lily asked.

"No you didn't, perhaps you'd like to explain." Severus said, summoning a piece of parchment, and starting to write a letter.

"About a week of our time, is about a year of their time. So if Harry is gone for a month, he have been in the Citadel of Time for four years. It's very handy for the training, and they have the best training." Lily said. Albus was doing some very quick math.

"Lily, if Harry is checking in every day on the Citadel's time, he'd be checking in about every half hour?"

"That's about right. But you two can't breathe a word of this to anyone. The consequences would be dire, as in Time might mess with your time." Lily said. "Severus? Hurry with the letters, I can feel my time here slipping away." Lily said.

Severus nodded and wrote a bit quicker. After a few minutes he finished it and handed it to Lily who managed to hold on to it, and mere seconds after he had given it to her, she faded from sight.

"Well we know that Harry is safe as long as time allows it." Dumbledore said, before getting up from the chair he had been sitting in.

"Yes. And Lily's gone." Severus said sadly. "So's Harry, but we'll get Harry back, but we'll never get Lily back.

"It's okay Severus." Albus said.

"Okay? What's okay? Nothings okay! My son is missing, and I'm worried. Nothing is okay!" Severus shouted at the old wizard.

"Fine, you have one weeks vacation. I will teach you class, use your time wisely." Albus said before he left.

Severus thought for a moment. If Albus knew where Harry was, he would probably go and try to get him back. HE hurried after Albus and snuck up behind him and oblivated him. The potions master smiled smugly and went back to his rooms to ponder what to do with his week.

Severus sat and stared at the fireplace. Dumbledore's last phrase ringing in his ears. "Use you time wisely." He had said. Severus grinned. He hurriedly packed a trunk and shrunk it and put it in his robes. After some thought, he packed a second trunk. And shrunk that one too, and put it with the first. He went to the library, what he didn't know was, that in another part of the castle, nine young wizards and witches were preparing for a trip.

Severus entered the library and entered the restricted section. He walked hurriedly along the shelves and found the book that he wanted. He stood up and spelled the book to remain in the library. Holding the book, he flipped through it until he found the right spell. He began to read the words out loud. "_deus gentilicius tempus egomet peto ad esse concedo aduitus ad arx gentilicius tempus." _Severus felt himself become insubstantial, and he felt the book fall from his hands, and Severus was Severus no more.

"Severus Snape, why do you request entrance to the Citadel of Time?" A booming voice asked.

"I wish to see my son who is there, and to see old friends who are also there." Severus said. "My intentions are honorable."

"You speak the truth, and you have a pure heart. I grant you admittance to the Citadel of Time." The voice said, and Severus felt himself become solid once again and he fell face first into what smelled like grass. His last thought was 'I've made it.' before he blacked out.

Two figures approached the courtyard where Severus lay. "But Warric, how can that be?"

"I don't know." Warric said.

"Are you sure that you don't know?" Harry asked.

"No. I could know it, but now may not be the time for you to find that out." Warric replied smugly.

"So Time has once again meddled in our brains?" Harry asked.

"Since when does Time not meddle in out brains?" Warric replied.

"Too true." Harry said back.

Warric threw an arm in front of Harry and softy said, "Stay here, there's someone in the courtyard." Warric crept forward, drawing a sword from seemingly nowhere.

Warric came among a figure face down in the grass. Warric turned the figure over with his foot, and had his sword over the man's throat before he muttered the spell to wake him.

Severus groaned and opened his eyes. Hello! Why is there a man with a sword standing over me? I suppose it would be a good idea to not move.

"State your name and your business." Warric said coldly.

"Severus Snape, here to visit my son and some old friends." Severus said.

Warric was about to be asked who his son was, but was a little distracted by Harry running and tackling the man. "Dad!"

"Hi Harry." Severus said.

"Dad. What are you doing here?" Harry asked.

"Well, Lily left, and then I had nobody at Hogwarts and Lily had said that you were here, so I just came here, because I missed you so much." Severus said softly.

"Now, let's talk about why you ran away." Severus said.

"I can't at least not right now. I have lessons." Harry said.

"You can't skive off lessons?" Severus said.

"Not unless I'm sick, and we're covering new material today." Harry said watching the other students who were coming in. "Jamie! Did Rose follow you today?" Harry shouted across the courtyard.

A young boy who looked like James came across the courtyard holding tightly to a girl with Lily's reddish hair who looked about four. "Yeah. Why, are you volunteering to keep her?"

Harry laughed. "As much as I'd like keep her, I can't. She's Lily's. But I found a baby sitter." Harry said.

"Really?" Jamie asked, looking hopeful.

"Yeah. You'll never guess who showed up a few minutes ago." Harry said, ending over to catch Rose who was running at him full speed saying something that sounded almost like "Uncle Harry!"

"Hey Rose." Harry said, standing back up with a four year old on his hip, she busied herself with pulling flowers from a vine behind Harry, and weaving the into his hair, that was longer than it had been before. "Rose, boys don't wear flowers in their hair." Harry said, laughing a little.

"I know." Rose replied, and picked another flower and put it in his hair.

Jamie was laughing a little. "Jamie, be careful or she might somehow get the idea that you like flowers in your hair." Harry said to Jamie.

"So, Severus, would you mind watching little Rose?" Harry asked.

"I'm not little." Rose said absently.

"Okay, then, Severus, since this fine big girl has escaped her parents, would you mind watching her, as we have a lesson that's about to start, and we have to listen to the lecture." Harry said.

Severus eyed Rose warily. "It's okay. She doesn't bite."

"Unless you make her mad." Jamie chimed in.

"And she's potty-trained." Harry said, glaring at Jamie, daring him to say it. He did.

"Mostly." Jamie said.

"I'm sure you'll be fine." Harry told Severus.

"Okay, I'll watch her." Severus said wondering what he had just agreed to.

"Rosie-posie, do you wanna got to Uncle Sev?" Harry asked Rose.

"YAH!" Rose said, not really sure who Uncle Sev was.

"Looks like you've got her then." Harry said, handing Rose over to Severus and Harry took the flowers out of his hair and handed them to Rose. "Rosie-posie, Uncle Severus loves flowers in his hair."

Severus sent his best death glare at Harry and, Harry just smirked in return.

Harry walked over to his desk and sat down, and waited for Warric to begin. As soon as Warric began speaking, Harry started taking notes. Harry's attention never wavered and when Warric finished lecturing, Harry went cast a shield around his area, and started working on the spells. This time he had mastered all but three when the class was over. They got the same homework as ever, and Harry went over to Severus and tried not to laugh.

But when Jamie came over, and started laughing, Harry couldn't hold it in. Rose had decided to try and plait Severus' hair, and Severus hair looked like a rat's nest. Literally. Stuck in it at odd places were flowers, and she was trying the end of it with some grass.

Severus conjured a mirror, and winced when he saw his hair. That was going to take a while to get out.

"Pay up." Harry nudged Jamie.

Jamie glared as he dug a few coins out of his pocket. "I should never bet against you, too risky."

Harry laughed and pocketed the money. "No, I just had an idea of what she'd do to his hair. Is that all for today?"

"Yeah, but you have to do independent physical training." Jamie said.

"Lovely. Let's go and pay your parents a visit." Harry said.

Jamie nodded. "Rosie-posie, we're going to see Mummy and Daddy, are you going to bring Uncle Sev with you?"

"Yay! C'mon Uncle Sev! Let's go and see Mummy and Daddy!" Rose said, and began dragging Severus towards Lily and James' quarters.

Harry laughed. "He is going to kill me." He said, following Severus and Rose at a slower pace.

"Why?" Jamie asked.

"He's my dad. I don't know how much he likes little kids, but I know that he doesn't like first years very much." Harry said.

"Oh. Do you think it was wise to leave Rose with him?" Jamie asked.

"We should catch up now." Harry said, and started running after Severus and Rose.

They caught up with Severus and Rose just as she dragged Severus into James and Lily's sitting room. "Daddy, come and meet Uncle Sev!" Rose called.

Harry and Jamie leaned on opposite sides of the door frame and watched the drama unfold.

"Severus! What a wonderful surprise!" James said, coming out of the study.

"Hi Rose. Did you fix Uncle Sev's hair?" James asked, trying not to laugh.

"Yep. Isn't it pretty Daddy?" Rose said, letting go of Severus to go to Harry. "Uncle Harry, could you make me some pink flowers?"

"Sure. But I'll make them invisible to everyone but you, and when you're done, say I'm finished, and they'll appear. Okay?" Harry asked.

"Okay." Rose said, watching as pink flowers that reminded Harry of his second year appeared in Harry's hand. Rose to the flowers and held them as she stood next to Severus on the sofa, and messed around with his hair.

"Help." Severus said in a small voice.

"Now, now, Severus, just let her play with your hair. We think she wants to be a hairdresser when she grows up." James said, laughing a little.

Rose jumped down and went and stood behind James. "I'm finished!" She shouted and watched in joy as the others caught sight of the flowers in Severus' hair that were flashing pink, green, orange, yellow, and then pink again.

Lily had walked up behind Harry and Jamie and she saw Severus' hair. She gasped and dragged Harry and Jamie away from the door. "Okay, which one of you conjured the flowers."

"What flowers?" Harry asked innocently.

"The flowers that you will find stuck in your hair forever if you don't tell me which of you conjured them." Lily said drawing her wand and pointing it at her sons.

Jamie coughed and the cough sounded suspiciously like, "Harry did."

"Fine. I did, but only because Rose asked for them." Harry said.

"ROSE CLARICE POTTER!" Lily shouted, and Rose came running out of the room.

"Mummy!" Rose said loudly, and stopped dead when she saw the expression on Lily's face. "uh-oh." She said quietly.

"Uh-oh is right. Did you or did you not ask your brother for flowers to put in Severus' hair?" Lily said, setting Rose on the ground in-between Harry and Jamie. Harry and Jamie slid down the wall they were leaning against and sat down.

"Yes, I did mummy." Rose said.

"You asked Harry for flowers to put in Severus' hair?" Lily asked.

"Yes, I did." Rose said.

"Why did you do that?" Lily asked pacing in front of them.

"I don't know." Rose said, sounding pleased with herself.

"And you." Lily said, rounding on Harry. "Why did you give her the flowers?"

"Because she asked for them." Harry said like it was the plainest thing in the world.

"Rose? Why did you put flowers in Severus' hair?" Lily asked again.

"Because they made Uncle Sev's hair pretty." Rose said this time.

"Uncle Sev?" Lily asked.

"Mum? She calls Severus Uncle Sev." Harry said.

That was the last that Lily could take. "Uncle Sev?" She asked before bursting out laughing.

James looked at Severus and mouthed, "Uncle Sev?"

Severus nodded and hissed, "Get my hair back to how it was before."

Harry heard the comment and leaned in the doorway. "What, you want it back to greasy?" He said trying not to laugh.

"Okay fine. Just get the flowers out of it." Severus said.

"Severus, did we mention that Rose doesn't have complete control of her magic?" James said.

Severus paled a little. "No." He said.

"Yeah, Dad, she uses magic to keep your hair like that, but you have to convince her to take it out. That's what I did." Harry said. "Although I wouldn't recommend trying to take it out on your own, as it might catch on fire." Harry said.

"It will come out eventually." Jamie chimed in.

"Yeah I think that the longest someone's hair was how she fixed it was about half a year." Lily said.

"I'm doomed." Severus said.

Harry got an idea, and went to talk with Rose. She nodded, and went over to Severus. She gave him a hug and then went over and gave James a hug. James felt his hair moving of it's own accord and winced. Severus also did, but when it stopped, his hair felt different. He tentatively reached up and felt it, it felt...normal.

"Thank the gods." Severus murmured. Then he looked at James. "My hair looked like that!" he nearly shouted.

James eyes widened, and he went over to a mirror. "Ugh. Sorry I ever said anything, Severus."

"Yeah, well, my hair isn't greasy anymore, although your hair looks a little different..." Severus said teasingly.

James felt a lock of hair and winced.

Severus got up and patted James on the shoulder sympathetically, "It's okay, Lily likes greasy haired men." Then he said "OW!" As James punched him in the arm. Severus returned to the sofa and gently felt his arm.

Lily came over and sat down next to Harry who was next to Severus. "Where did he hit you?" She asked.

Severus showed her where James had punched him, and she hit him there too. "I did not go for you because you had greasy hair. If you even remember correctly, when I was dating you, I forced you to wash your hair." Lily snapped.

"Okay." Severus said.

"Say it." Lily said forcibly.

"It." Severus said.

"I'll hit you again." Lily said.

"Fine. You don't go for greasy haired men." Severus said. "Now Harry, do you mind if we leave the fine company of these ruffians, and we go and have a nice chat about why you left?"

"Uncle Sev, I'm not a ruffian. I'm Rose." Rose said, climbing onto the sofa in-between Harry and Lily.

"Of course you're not." Severus said.

"Okay." Rose replied, tugging on Lily's sleeve. "Hi Mummy."

"'Lo Rose. I suppose that you want up?" Lily asked tiredly.

Rose nodded, and Lily moved her onto her lap, where Rose sat contentedly, watching the others.

"I think we should go." Harry said. "We've tuckered Rose out." Harry said.

"Yes, I suppose that you should, although it was nice seeing Severus." James said. In fact it was. When Harry had lessons next, maybe he would pay Severus a visit, to catch up on what was happening.

"Bye, James." Harry said, and gave James a friendly hug, and gave Lily a hug and Rose a peck on the cheek, causing her to giggle. "See you later Mum." Harry said, and waited by the door for Severus to say good-bye.

"Harry?" Jamie asked. "Are we still on for tonight?"

Harry thought for a moment. "Yeah, that's important."

"Okay then." Jamie said.

Severus finished saying good-bye, and followed Harry. "What's tonight?"

"I'm helping him out with a few spells he's having trouble mastering." Harry said. "Gods, I still have to do the physical training."

"And that would be?" Severus asked.

"Simple, I'm here to train magically and physically because it has been prophesied that either I kill Voldemort, or he kills me. Here, I can get quite a few years training done, where Voldemort can't find me; Time won't let him, bless her; and as soon as Voldemort gets wind of me being missing, he'll go crazy looking for me." Harry said.

"That does sound wise." Severus said.

"Now, How did you get here?" Harry asked.

"In the restricted section is a spell, well, it's more of a prayer, to the God of Time, is she dubs you worthy, she lets you in. Apparently, I'm worthy." Severus said.

"Okay. How long?" Harry asked.

"Dumbledore gave me a week." Severus said.

"Well that gives me plenty of time." Harry said.

"Yes, I suppose it does." Harry said.

They had reached Harry's room, and when Harry same in, there was a note that was floating, and his room looked positively different. Harry grabbed the note, and it quit glowing, and silvery green lettering appeared on it.

Harry-

Time has declared that your father will be staying here for a while, we got permission to expand your room. You now have a separate bedroom, the main room, which you are in, your bathroom, and Severus has his own bathroom and bedroom. On your desk is you schedule for next week.

-Merlin

"Okay then. Dad, my room has been expanded, and it looks like you will be staying with me." Harry said, and opened one of the new doors. Inside was his bed, with the dark blue comforter, and his trunk at the end of it. "This room's mine, so I suppose that the other is yours." Harry said.

Severus nodded and opened the other door. Inside was a space large enough for both of his trunks and, a four poster bed with black curtains, and a Slytherin green comforter. There was window, and a small desk in the corner. Severus smiled, and thought that this would be a good place to stay.

"Okay, Dad, I've got to go and work out, but I'll be around in about three hours. Okay? You can stay here, there are plenty of books and such, but if you do go around, call for a guide. It's very easy to get lost." Harry said, leaving before Severus could ask how to call a guide.

Harry got back to his rooms, and he was sore, Severus was sitting on the couch, reading, and he looked up at Harry as he walked by. Harry got to his room, and did another fifteen minutes of stretching, and a short yoga routine. Harry filled the bathtub up to the brim with hot water, and he got in. Harry sighed as the hot water made his sore muscles feel better. Harry reached for his wand, and flicked it at the stereo that he had brought with him.

On his way to the Citadel, Harry had stopped in a muggle town and spent about five hundred galleons on muggle electronics. Just a stereo, and quite a few CDs. Right now he had something by Mozart playing because relaxing. He decided to lemon drop someone now. Why not Ron.

"Come on." Hermione urged Ron.

"Do you or do you not want to go after Harry." Hermione asked.

"He hasn't even been gone a day." Ron pointed out.

"Yeah, but Ron, I'm worried about him. I couldn't find him anywhere in the castle." Hermione said.

"Okay, but first we're looking for him." Ron said.

"I did." Hermione said.

"Did you find the portraits of the founders?" Ron asked.

"No." Hermione replied.

"Than you didn't look everywhere. There are four portraits of the founders in the castle. The only thing is, you have to have blood of the heirs in you." Ron said.

"Well, that leaves me out." Hermione said bitterly.

"No, because if you are with someone who has descended from one of the heirs, you can see them." Ron said.

"You are descended from one of the founders?" Hermione asked.

"It's a family legend that we are descended from Gryffindor." Ron said, so come one, let's start looking." Ron said, dragging Hermione away from the common room.

"Why don't we try down there." Hermione said, pointing to the general area where the passage way that they had found the Gryffindor was.

"That's sounds like a good idea, Hermione. Funny, I've never noticed this place before." Ron said, walking through the wall, and Hermione tried to follow after him, but she couldn't. It was like she was hitting a stone wall.

"Ron?" Hermione asked.

"What?"

"I can't get through. Give me your hand." Hermione said, and Ron's hand came through the wall, and she grabbed it, and she felt relieved that she could see the hall. Ron and Hermione had almost reached the hall that Gryffindor's portrait was in the familiar bag of lemon drops appeared in front of Ron.

"Hey Ron. Do you want a lemon drop?" Harry asked through the bag of lemon drops.

"Sure." Ron said and took one.

"How are you?" Harry asked.

"I'm just fine. Slightly bored though." Ron said, earning a glare from Hermione.

"So, what're you doing?" Harry asked.

"Looking for you." Ron said.

"Oh. You won't find me." Harry said.

"What makes you think that?" Ron asked.

"Because you can only find me if you are allowed entrance or fall through..." Harry paused. "Never mind. I'll see you when Time allows. Okay?"

"Okay then." Ron said.

"My bathwater's getting cold, so I'm going to quit talking. See you." Harry said.

The bag disappeared, and Ron smiled sadly. "Well we won't find him. Why don't we explore some more?" Ron asked.

"Okay." Hermione said.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Ron asked.

"Well, about half an hour ago, we got in a fight through the bag because he wouldn't tell me where he was hiding." Hermione said.

"Oh, so you didn't want him to leave?" Ron asked.

"Yeah." Hermione said, pausing to look at an old portrait of a pirate ship.

Harry dried himself off using a charm. He hovered the stereo out after him. He paused for a moment, and pulled out a CD from the shelf he had put them on. He put the rap CD in, and smiled. It was an okay thing to listen to when he was bored. Harry had completely forgot about Severus, until there was a pounding on his door. Harry waved his hand and the door opened.

"What is that garbage you're listening to?" Severus asked.

Harry shrugged and summoned the case. He held it up for Severus to see.

"Ah. So you're blasting your eardrums out, why?" Severus asked.

"Keeps people from bugging me when I'm trying to figure something out." Harry said.

"Ah, did you forget that I was here?" Severus asked.

Harry nodded. "I didn't mean to. I'll play something different." Harry got up from his desk and pulled out a different CD, and put it in. A few seconds later Night On Bald Mountain by Modeste Moussorgsky came on, and Harry sat back down at his desk.

"That better?" (A/N: It's a really creepy classical piece, and I'm not completely sure that's who it's by.)

"Much." Severus said. "So, I'm here for a week."

"In whose time?" Harry asked.

"Hogwarts time, so I'm going to be here for a little over a year." Severus said.

"Okay, I was talking to Slytherin yesterday, and he mentioned that he had an idea for getting rid of the Dark Mark, but he'd have to see one to be sure about it. And Time doesn't like Death Eaters to enter her Citadel, so he's been having problems finding one." Harry said.

"So you want to know if I'll be a test bunny?" Severus asked.

"Yeah. Anyways, the children of Death Eaters are encouraged to join, and if Voldie finds out about me being your son, I will either join or be killed." Harry said. "Since I don't plan in being killed or joining up, the simplest solution would be to remove your mark." Harry said.

"I'd have to give that some serious thought." Severus said. "I've had it for so long, I don't know how I'd feel without it." Severus said.

"Same way I feel about this stupid scar." Harry said, pointing to the scar on his forehead, but I think that I'd like to get rid of it and not tell the entire wizarding world. They identify me by my scar, and I'd be less noticed with it gone." Harry said.

"That does make some sense." Severus said.

"I was wondering, today you showed that you were obviously friends with James at one time. Why were you so mean to me at school?" Harry asked.

Severus debated about how he should answer the question. If he answered it the wrong way, it could make Harry depressed. He decided to leave out the fact that he had once blamed him for Lily's death. "Your eyes. They were just like Lily's, they reminded me of her, and every time I saw them, my heart would wrench and I would miss her so much."

Harry thought for a moment. "Yeah, I see how that would affect you." Harry said. "It's time for dinner. Let's go, they have the best food. I've been eating in the main hall, but Lily and James eat in their rooms." Harry said.

"Okay." Severus said.

Harry and Severus headed off to dinner, and they continued talking through dinner and when they returned to their quarters. When Jamie stopped by for help, Severus watched, and after that Harry went to bed, because, as always, tomorrow was going to be an early day.

Severus sat in the main room and there was a soft knock on the door. He got up and answered it. Lily and James were there.

"Hello. Would you like to come in?" He asked.

Lily nodded, and James followed her in, whose hair was normal. "We thought that we'd come and see how you're settling in."

"I'm just doing fine, although I am a little jealous of Harry. HE gets such nice rooms." Severus said looking around.

"His rooms are rather nice." Lilyt said.

"There's a small concert tonight, and Lily and I were thinking of going. Would you like to go and go out for tea afterwards?" James asked.

"What is it?" Severus asked.

"It's Romeo and Juliet." Lily said.

"I haven't seen that one in a long time. Where would we go for tea?" Severus asked.

"A small tea shop. Some of the residents of the Citadel have started small shops, and such, so there is a very nice small café." Lily said.

"I suppose that I'll come." Severus said.

"Good." Lily exclaimed. "You and James need to become better friends."

Severus and James both looked at Lily as if she had gone insane.

"Don't even say it." She said, glaring at them. "The show starts soon. Let's go!" She exclaimed, and left.

"I suppose that we should follow her." Severus said.

"Yeah." James replied. "Instead of tea, there's a nice pub right near the café Lily wants to go to..." James trailed off hopefully.

"Would you rather have a nice drink instead of tea?" Severus asked, seeing what James was getting at.

"I'm sure that some of Lily's friends will be there." James said, grinning.

"Okay then." Severus agreed, and they left Harry's rooms after Severus scribbled a quick note to Harry.

Around three in the morning, Severus stumbled into Harry's rooms and collasped onto the sofa. "Thanks very much." He said to the boy who had escorted him back to Harry's.

"'tis my job sir." Henry said.

"Yes, of course. Your job." Severus replied. "Now, who are you?"

"Henry. I work for the pub, I escort people back to where they belong so they don't get lost." Henry said. It was a well practiced speech, he was used to telling it to people every night.

"Henry." Severus said, slurring it horribly.

"Yes?" Henry asked, before realizing that Severus had gone to sleep. "I pity you sir for your head's going to be pounding tomorrow." He muttered, letting himself out of the room and returning to the pub where Lily was attempting to get James to leave.

"James Potter, if you do not leave with me this instant, you will regret it for the rest of eternity." Lily said, tugging in James' arm.

"Just a minute Lily, me 'n' Sev'rus are talking." James slurred his speech.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Severus left you great oaf! Now if you don't leave you will be sleeping on your own."

"Miss?" Henry asked. "Do ye need a bit 'o help?"

"Please." Lily said, sounding defeated.

"Okay." Henry said, and went over to James' other side and yelled in his ear. "OY! Ye need to go home. NOW!" That semed to get throught to James.

"MY ear!" He exclaimed, rubbning the said appendage. "Lily! What're you doing here?" He asked.

"I am trying to get you home." She said, glaring at her husband.

"Oh. You should have said. Let's go then." James said, standing and immediately swaying to the side. Lily got up from the booth Severus and James had been in, and supported her husband. She paid the bill, and escorted James to the couch and went to her room and slipped into bed. Well, it appeared that James and Severus were on friendly terms, she thought as she drifted off to sleep.

Well. There it is. I've updated twice in as many weeks, I think. I have 17 done, but the computer didn't like eighteen, so i'm busy converting the astrieks back to letters. Highly annoying, but it could be worse. See, what the computer did, was it took parts of eighteen and turned them into little astrieks. Bloddy annoying.

**Lady Lily3**: Good to see you back! Harry's technically still in his time, he's just in a different part where time goes by faster. Although, Time does do a fair bit of time travelling to get Harry's fake identity set up. I think he goes bak in 17. Or it could be nineteen that went bonkers, and he goes back in 18. But he goes back soon, but only for a little while. HE has to find a few things.

**sparkling silver angel wings**: Dumbledore suffering is soon. IT is the place beyond the veil. Dumbledore was WRONG, and the veil doen't lead to death, it goes to the Citadel of Time, where dear Harry is staying along with Lily, James, James Jr. (Jamie), and Rose.

**Wanamaker**: Thanks for the revies, it's always nice to find someone new. I'm going to eventually re-write the first few chapters. They're not the best, are they? I'm glad that you enjoyed it.

Well, there's this weeks update. I got an online diary too, link will be on my bio. I'll be saying things like when I plan to update and stuff like that.


	17. The Nameless Chappie

Things Are Looking Up

Chapter Seventeen

Severus watched his son cast a protective shield around himself, and pick up the sword. He had been at the Citadel of Time for nearly a year now, and Harry had shown progress. Harry had some problems with free style, but the Master that taught swordplay had said that with a lot of practice, the moves would become automatic, and it would be a lot easier. Harry won about a quarter of his matches, and Severus wondered what the outcome of this one would be. He was fighting Tybalt, and he had lost the first three times he had dueled against him, but it looked like Harry might win this match.

Tybalt's sword crashed to the ground, and Harry moved in. Severus watched as Harry asked if he yielded. Tybalt nodded, and Harry grinned and pulled him up off his knees and shook hands with him. Severus grinned and said to Harry as he came over to him, "You're improving."

Harry nodded and did some stretches. According to Time, he would grow as if he was still in his timeline, but any physical changes would happen in their timeline. It was rather confusing, but at Hogwarts, a little under a week had gone by, but Harry had been working out for nearly a year, and it showed. Harry had more muscle than he had when he had arrived, for some reason his hair was growing too. It was funny, his hair was shoulder length, when it had never gotten past his ears. He had been trying to figure it out, but he hadn't succeeded, but when he came here, it had suddenly began to grow.

He asked Lily about it, thinking it might have been the charm, but apparently it wasn't. He was going to talk to one of the masters about it when he got the time. Probably after Severus had left. Which made Harry think. "Severus? How long have you been here?"

"I think about eleven and a half months. Why?" Severus asked.

"You're due back in Hogwarts in about fourteen hours." Harry said.

Severus thought for a moment. "Yeah, I wonder what time it is there." Severus said, looking at his watch, and sighed. "I should probably go back soon. Today or tomorrow. Apparently I have a class in twelve hours." Severus said.

"I'll miss you." Harry said.

"It will be worse for you." Severus said.

"For every year that I'm here, only a week goes by at Hogwarts." Harry said.

"True." Severus replied, sounding sad.

"I miss them so much." Harry said.

"Who?" Severus asked. "Ron, Hermione, Draco for some reason, and I miss my classes."

"You have classes here." Severus said.

"But they're not the same." Harry said.

"I know, but I would think that they are more fun." Severus said.

"Sort of. They're more advanced. When I get back to Hogwarts, I'll be way ahead of everyone else. Hermione will be jealous because I know more than her." Harry said.

"Well, you do have Ravenclaw blood in you." Severus pointed out.

"True. I think that I'll lemon drop Mrs. Granger tonight." Harry said.

"Why?" Severus asked, sounding puzzled.

"I've never lemon dropped her before." Harry said. "And it's not too late yet, soon I'll have to start lemon dropping ghosts again, or the rare person who is awake." Harry said.

"Well, when I get back, I'll stay up late grading papers for you." Severus said.

"Thanks." Harry said with a small smile. "Now I'm going to go and visit James and Lily." Severus said, getting up off of the bench he was sitting on, and leaving the training room.

"'Kay." Harry said, absently, as he was watching another pair of students fence.

Severus walked slowly along the halls towards James and Lily's quarters. He fingered the midnight blue robes and sighed. When he was back at Hogwarts he would have to back to wearing black robes. As he turned the corner his eyes met up with a tall woman clad in flowing white robes, with white-blond hair that stopped halfway down her legs.

"Severus. Just who I was looking for." Time said, her voice like a bell, that commanded listening to.

Severus bowed, and said, "I, milady?" in a respectful tone, as one did not disrespect time, as she might cut your time short.

"Your time in my Citadel grows short. You may choose to stay here for all time, or to return to Hogwarts and return here when you die. Be warned, your path at Hogwarts grow more and more perilous and the Dark Lord grows suspicious." Time said in a grave tone.

Severus swallowed convulsively. "Milady, I must return to Hogwarts for I have to do my part in the war, to prevent the Dark Lord from gaining followers, and to protect the school." Severus said, a tone of sadness in his voice.

"Choose wisely, Severus, for your path at Hogwarts has death at nearly every turning." Time said. "I have rarely seen a path with so much death in it. Are you sure that you choose Hogwarts?" Time said once again.

"Yes, I am sure in my choice. Will I be allowed to come here after I die?" Severus asked.

"Of that you will. Do you wish to know why I am granting you this?" Time asked.

"If milady wishes to tell me." Severus said.

"You are a Death Eater. One who risks his life for the light spying on Lord Voldemort, you bear his mark on your arm, and yet you are loyal to the light. The mark was forced upon you by your family, and yet you continue serve the light faithfully. Your son cannot be called your son in public, for if he were the Dark Lord would force the mark on him or kill him." Time said gravely.

Severus blinked. "Milady, surely you jest?"

Time laughed a little. "No I do not, but there may be something we can do about the mark."

Severus looked up. "When?"

"Now. We have just finished the potion and it worked on Igor." Time said.

"Igor Karakoff? Here?" Severus asked.

"Yes, Igor, he stumbled upon our gate a few days ago, he was on the run from the Dark Lord and gladly took the potion. After checking his body repeatedly for signs of the Dark Mark, we could not find any." Time said. "Would you like to take the potion?"

Severus thought for a moment and nodded.

"Then follow me." Time said, and walked, well, more glided, back in the direction she had came. Severus followed her hurriedly and they went into a room that had a cauldron with a goblet next to it.

"He came then?" Merlin asked, standing over the cauldron, and looking up.

"Yes he did." Time replied.

"I thought he would." Merlin replied.

"I wasn't sure myself. How is Karakoff?" Time asked.

"Still staring at his arm." Merlin said.

"Okay. Do you mind If I check on him will you give Severus a dose of it?" Time asked.

"Of course." Merlin replied, and picked the goblet up and came over to Severus.

Severus looked at the potion, and winced. It looked and smelled like I would taste bad.

"Yes, it's not to pleasant to the tongue, but if you just swallow it quickly, and it does hurt a bit, and we've got to cover the mark with this." Merlin said, holding up a vial of sludge.

"Do I want to know what that is?" Severus asked.

"Not really, It's just some bone from Voldemort's Father and Mother combined, and mixed with..." Severus held up his hand.

"That's enough for me. Could we just get this over with?" Severus asked.

Merlin raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry, I'm just a little stressed out. I'm wondering if it will work, and how much it will hurt, and how Dumbledore will react to having his spy gone..." Merlin cut Severus off.

"Yes, as you were saying, now let's get this over with. Would you mind rolling up your sleeve, it needs a bit of blood from the mark." Merlin said.

Severus nodded and winced as a knife pricked his arm. He glared at Merlin.

"Oh hush. Don't be a big baby, that didn't hurt much. Salazar should be here any moment to do the part that requires Parseltongue for it, in the mean time, we'll just put this on it." Merlin said and started putting the goop with the bone in it on his arm.

Salazar Slytherin rushed in, and he proclaimed, "I am late for I ate such food that there was much of."

Severus thought about Salazar's statement, and realized that he had had a lot of lunch. Salazar liked to speak in rhyme occasionally.

"Okay Salazar, you want to help again?" Merlin asked.

"Of course I do, can you?" Salazar asked.

"Do I have to be awake for this?" Severus asked.

"If you wish to miss." Salazar replied.

"Okay." Severus said, and Merlin cast a sleeping spell on Severus and he slumped over, and Salazar carried him to a couch, and set him there. Merlin began to chant and Salazar began to hiss the same words as the chant, and they watched as the Dark Mark got fainter and fainter, and small wisps of steam began to rise from it.

There was a great hiss and a loud scream of outrage, and the mark disappeared.

Merlin grinned, and Salazar took the sleeping spell off of Severus.

"Did it work?" He asked groggily.

"Hark. The mark does not lurk on your arm anymore." Salazar proclaimed.

"Okay." Severus said groggily, and he yawned, and looked at his arm. He blinked groggily and gasped. It had just sunk in. "It's gone!"

"Of course it is Severus dear, now let's get you to your room." Helga Hufflepuff had just walked in, and looked at Salazar. "Salazar, would you mind conjuring a stretcher for him, he looks like he'll drop on his feet."

"Of course dear fellow founder, it would not do for him to..." Salazar trailed off for a moment, thinking. "fall over a mellow horse." Salazar grinned, two rhymes in one sentence!

A/N: I like Salazar! He's fun to write. Does the rhyming thing sound too dumb?

Severus woke up to find Harry pacing in front of the couch he was currently laying on. He tried to sit up, and his left arm wouldn't support him. Harry noticed this and rushed to his side, and conjured some pillows under him.

"How're you feeling?" He asked, grinning.

"Better. How long've I been out?" Severus croaked.

"A little under a day. I was excused from classes." Harry said, and got a few vials from the cabinet opposite him. He poured a few into a glass and gave it a quick stir with his wand a gazed critically at it. "Look fine." He muttered.

"What is that?" Severus asked, looking at the potion warily.

"This would be a draught to help you recover from the Dark Mark letting you go, and to keep you on your feet, as you will be leaving soon." Harry said, blinking back tears.

"I'm leaving?" Severus asked, taking the potion and going over it magically before drinking it and grimacing.

"Dumbledore only gave you a week." Harry said, reminding Severus.

"Oh." He said. "This will suck." Severus said.

"Only for you. In your time, I'll be gone a few months, but I'll be here for years." Harry said, smiling wanly.

Severus inclined his head in agreement. "Too true."

"It'll be fine." Harry said. "Lily's pregnant again." Harry said.

"Really?" Severus asked.

"Yeah, she just found out today, she's all grumpy, to put it delicately, because she has to carry it for years." Harry said, biting back a laugh.

Severus chuckled a bit. "I remember when she was pregnant with you, when she was staying at Hogwarts, she was scary. The slightest thing would set her off, and she was teaching defense." Severus said.

"She taught defense?" Harry asked.

"She did, before she was married, and she took a year off, she was teaching up until they went into hiding." Severus said.

"I never knew..." Harry said.

"Well there's lots of things you don't know." Severus said.

"Lots of things James doesn't know." Harry said.

"Too true." Severus said.

"Do you think we made the right choice in not telling James that I stayed with the Dursleys?" Harry asked.

"I hope so." Severus said. "Now, I need to pack. Don't I?" He asked.

Harry nodded. "Yeah. You'll be needing more space."

"I suppose." Severus said, getting up and walking a little unsteadily to his room. He opened the door and surveyed the space that had been his for the past year. It was rather nice. "Harry, since you helped me accumulate all of this junk, you can expand my trunks."

Harry rolled his eyes. "I did not help you accumulate all of that junk. You did it all by yourself." Harry said, expanding the trunks anyways.

"That's my boy." Severus said, motioning his things into his trunk with his wand.

There was a knock on the door to Harry's chambers, and Harry sighed. "That'd be Time I suppose." He said, shrugging, and going to get the door. It was Time.

"Good day, Mr. Snape." Time said.

Harry unconsciously bowed a little, and returned the greeting. "Good day to you also, time." Harry smiled, and beckoned her in. "I assume that you are here to take Severus?"

"I am sorry, I know that you will miss him, but yes, I am here to take Severus back to Hogwarts." The tall woman who was Time said sadly.

Severus poked his head out of the door to his room. "Ah. Hello Madam."

"Severus." She said, her rose colored lips curving in the slightest hint of a smile.

Severus came out of his rooms dressed in his black robes, with his shrunken trunks in his pocket. "My lady." He said, kneeling before her.

"Now, Severus, how many times have we gone over this? I am not your patron, you do not currently reside in my Citadel. You do NOT have to kneel before me. Get up." She said forcibly, grasping Severus' wrist and pulling him to his feet.

"I am sorry my Lady." Severus murmured, looking at the floor. "My thanks for assisting with the potion."

"My thanks for letting us test it on you." Time said, "I trust there are no ill effects?" She asked.

Severus shook his head.

"Good then. Now, I have with me two pendants." Time said, drawing a pair of silver chains out of her robes, which seemed to be glowing. "One is for you, and the other is for your son. If one of you is on danger, the other's will heat up. I can also use them to pull you into my realm." She said, looking Severus in the eye, and turning her gaze onto Harry. "Do you accept my gift?" She asked.

"I accept thy gift if Severus also does, my Lady." Harry said, grinning slightly, addressing Time the was he knew she hated.

"I then accept thy gift, My Lady." Severus said, biting back a laugh,

Time sighed, and ran a hand through her long blond hair. "What will I do with you two?" She asked herself. "Then I give thee thy gift, and hope that thee will wear them with a fond remembrance of me." She said, two could play at this game, after all, she had sorted into Slytherin.

"You have my thanks." Harry said, matching her tone.

"As do you have mine." Severus added.

Time rolled her eyes, and put one pendant around Harry's neck and the other around Severus'. "I give my gift freely, and may it warn thee of times when the other is in trouble, that we face now. Only thy shall know of they gift, and thy shall be the only to set eyes upon it. None shall be able to remove thy gift, except in death, but in death thy will enter the Citadel of Time. So mote it be" Time said, and an unseen force shook the room.

Severus blinked, and looked at Time. "My Lady?" He asked.

"Yes?" Time replied sweetly.

"What was that?" He asked.

"That was a very powerful spell taking up residence in the pendants. You will not even know of them most of the time, but they will also protect you from most curses, it will counter the effects of the three unforgivables, and there are other traits that you will discover." Time said.

"Okay." Severus said, realizing that was the best answer that he would get, and he accepted it.

"Good." Time said. "Now, as much as I regret it, you have to teach a class in a few minutes, and I think that I will personally escort you there. You have sixth year Gryffindors and Slytherins." Time said. "Harry? Would you like to sit in on the lesson?"

"I would love to." Harry said. "Same as before?" Harry asked.

"Yes." Time said. "Nobody will know that you are there, but you will be able to manipulate objects."

Harry grinned. "Definitely then."

"Well, Let's get going." Severus snapped, then immediately apologizing. "Sorry, practicing greasy git."

Time and Harry both laughed. "Well you tow are in the potions classroom, I will be visiting an old friend." Time said, offering each of the two men an arm. They each took an arm, an they faded from sight.

Only to reappear in Severus' office.

"My thanks, my Lady." Severus said.

Time rolled her eyes. "Harry has invisibility, and I'll be in Dumbledore's office bugging Fawkes and the sorting hat." Time said, before fading out of their sight.

Harry turned to Severus, and laughed softly. "I feel sorry for the Sorting hat."

Severus eyed the place where Harry's voice had come from. "So do I. That is a very good invisibility spell she put on you. I can't even sense you magically."

"well you just learned that, and don't you have a lesson to teach?" Harry asked.

"Now that you mention it, I do." Severus smirked, and strode out of his office, surprising the students and Dumbledore.

"Severus! I'm glad you made it to your lesson." Albus said. "They're just starting to do a batch of polyjuice."

"Albus." Severus said. "Do you have any idea of how dangerous that potion is to make?" He asked, eyeing the old man as if he had gone crazy.

"Of course!" The old, man said cheerily. "That's why we've been studying it for the past week that you've been gone. They all had to pass a test on it, to progress to the brewing stage." Albus said, noticing that the door to Severus' office had shut by itself. That was funny, he couldn't sense any spell on the door.

Severus sighed. "Very well. They can make the potion."

"Why thank you Severus, I didn't know that I required permission to let your class make a potion." Albus said, smiling at Severus, daring him to fight back.

"Well, it is my class after all, and I'm not sure if they are up to it." Severus said.

"Well, it is a NEWT level class." Dumbledore added.

"True." Severus said, pulling a small jar out of his robes. "Lemon drop?" He asked, the lid magically unscrewing itself.

"I don't mind if I do." Albus said, and took one and popped it into his mouth. A few seconds later the headmaster was a lovely shade of yellow, and the class was trying not to laugh.

Severus looked at the jar and his eyes widened. "I am sorry sir. That was the wrong jar of Lemon Drops." Severus said.

Albus was looking at his hands. "It's okay my boy, I've always liked yellow. How long do the effects last?"

"Around a day, and you can't tell anyone what will happen, and they will be compelled to take a candy." Severus said, striding over to Ron. "Mr. Weasley. Would you like a Lemon Drop?" He asked, holding the jar out to him.

Ron shook his head furiously, but held his hand out and said, "Yes, if it is okay with you, sir."

"Of course. There you go." Severus said, and dropped a lemon drop into his hand, which Ron stuffed into his mouth immediately.

Hermione cringed and watched as her boyfriend turn a magnificent shade of blue.

"Yes, It changes color depending on your mood." Severus added. "Now, let's begin the class." Severus said, merging into Greasy Git mode completely, while Harry watched from the back.

Harry laughed silently, and thought for a bit, and noticed that the door to the classroom was open. He left the room, and pulled the bag of lemon drops out of his pocket. He poked his head back into the classroom, and visualized it appearing in front of Malfoy. A few seconds later, the bag's image wavered, and a duplicate appeared in front of Draco.

"Hello! Would you like a lemon drop?" Harry thought, and grinned as he heard the bag say it.

Draco glared at the bag and thought for a moment. "As much as I'd love to take one, I can't. I'm in potions. Where you are supposed to be."

"I'm sorry." The bag said.

"No, you're not. We're supposed to be convincing you to come back. So, please come back from wherever you are." Draco grumbled.

"Nope. Do you want a lemon drop or not?" the bag asked.

"No, I'm a little cautious of lemon drops right now." Draco said.

"Okay." The bag replied and disappeared.

Harry thought for a moment, and decided to wander around the castle. When he was near the way to Amy's rooms, Peeves somehow noticed him.

"Is it a student out of class?" HE asked, staring directly at where Harry was. "What is it that creeps about unseen? Peeves should go and get McGonagall." Peeves said before zooming off.

Harry cursed, and walked away quickly. He ducked into a side hall and recognized it to be one of the ones near Ravenclaw's domain. He got to Amy's rooms, and knocked on the door. It opened, and the familiar face of Amy looked out. He grinned, and ducked in as she stepped out to look up and down the hall.

That's funny. I could have sworn that there was someone there." She said going back inside of her rooms. Sirius, in his snake form, was looking directly at Harry, and had what must have been a smile on his face.

Harry raised an eyebrow, and realized that he may have been under a similar spell, and had learned to detect them.

The snake hissed at Harry, and followed his progress around the room. "Is that you Harry?"

"Possibly. Who else would be under one of time's invisibility spells?" He asked.

"You do have a definite point there." Sirius the snake said.

"I thought so." Harry hissed back.

"How long are you here for?" Sirius asked.

"Just a short visit. I thought that I'd wander around the castle. Maybe creep a few people out, stuff like that." Harry hissed.

"Sounds fun. Anything else?" Sirius asked.

"I thought maybe I'd set up a few pranks." Harry said.

"Excellent!" Sirius hissed excitedly. Then he noticed something. "Why isn't Amy noticing this?"

"I don't want her to. You appear to be taking a nap to her, but would you mind getting up and opening the door for me?" Harry asked.

"Sure." Sirius replied, slithering over to the door and wrapping around the handle that had reshaped itself so Sirius could grab onto it. The door creaked loudly, and Harry hurriedly slipped out of it before Amy could close it. He hissed a quick good-bye to the snake, and wandered the halls, and set up a few random pranks. By the time he was done setting up timed pranks, he decided to head up to Dumbledore's office. Instead of trying to guess the password, he leaned in close to the gargoyle, and said, "Open in the name of My Lady Rowena Ravenclaw."

The gargoyle titled its head to the side and then jumped away, exposing a crack in the wall that opened up to show a moving staircase. Harry stepped onto the stairs, and let them take him to the office. He could sense the Lady Time on the other side of the thick oak door, and he knew that she knew that he was there. He stood leaning on the wall adjacent to the door and waited for Time to let him in.

After about a half hour in which Harry practiced his occulmency, the door creaked open, and he saw Time beckoning him in.

"Young Mr. Snape, I have finished my visit with the sorting hat and Fawkes. You may choose to stay here, and not return to the Citadel, or you may continue on with your training." She said, furrowing her brow, trying to guess what Harry would say.

"My Lady, I believe that I will return to the Citadel, so I may further my training and hopefully become a master in at least a few of my learnings." Harry said, looking at the floor near Time's feet.

"Wise decision. I will ad that when you choose to return you will have a harder time, and your friends may desert you." Time said.

"I am well aware of the fact My Lady." Harry said.

"Then we leave." She said, offering her hand to Harry, palm up.

The invisibility spell dissolved, as Harry put his hand in Time's, and just before the scene dissolved around him, he thought he saw the Headmaster's surprised face.

Harry appeared in his rooms, which looked the same, except for the room that Severus had was now a guest room. There was a note on the small table that had been moved back towards the center of the room.

Harry-

As you seem to be gone for an indeterminable amount of Time, we have made a small study group to help you keep up. Find us as soon as possible.

The Four Founders and Merlin

Harry sighed. Lovely. More work. Might as well find one of them and start to work. Maybe he could make a quick To Do List.

To Do

-Get charm removed

-become fencing master

-become generally competent in the field of killing Dark Lords

-learn how to make potions successfully

-find my OWL results

Harry sighed again. "I don't think I'll ever find my OWL results. They just disappeared." He muttered, leaving his rooms to find the founders and Merlin.

"You can do better than that boy! I'm over a thousand years old!" Godric shouted, dodging Harry's thrust.

"Yeah, you've had a thousand years of practice. I've only been doing this for an entire week!" Harry shouted back.

"In your time. You've had an entire year." Godric shouted back.

"I'm trying!" Harry shouted, faking to the left and going to the right. He almost managed to disarm Gryffindor. Almost. Gryffindor was still the better swordsman, so Harry ended up being the loser for this match.

"What's that? 224 to 1?" Salazar asked.

"Two—hundred—and-twenty-five to zero." Gryffindor panted.

"Godric, you lost that match." Rowena said from her observation point where she was reading.

"I did not lose that match." He said, glaring at Rowena.

"Yes you did." Harry replied, grinning at him.

"I TRIPPED." Gryffindor reiterated for the thirtieth time.

"Over my foot, making it possible for me to disarm you." Harry said, smirking at Gryffindor who was glaring at him.

Godric opened his mouth, but was cut off by Helga Hufflepuff, who had sorted out this argument many time before. "Harry you won that match, Godric, you lost ONE match out of two hundred twenty-six. Get over it. Both of you." She said, fixing them both with a piercing glare.

"Yes Helga." Harry muttered.

Godric dutifully echoed his words, and glared at Harry when Helga's back was turned.

"What are we going to start doing today?" Harry asked, stretching a bit.

Merlin entered the training robes, wearing a magnificent set of robes that had the constellations on them. "Today, we are going to be working on expanding your aura so you know who and what is around you at all times."

Harry looked blankly up at Merlin.

He sighed, and pulled out his wand and drew some diagrams in the air. A stick figure, surrounded by what looked like a glowing circle appeared in the air. Merlin pointed to the glowing circle, and said, "That is a magical aura. You can learn to project it around you so you always know what is near you. Strong witches and wizards can project an aura over a great area, spread very thinly, and when they sense something threatening there, they can concentrate on that."

"Okay..." Harry said, still not completely getting it.

"Start meditating." Merlin said, and Harry sat cross legged in the center of the room, and slipped into the place where he mediated.

Merlin waited until Harry was in a calm state of mind and said softly, "Feel for your magic. Bring it up through your hands and spread it around you like a blanket. Make that blanket very thin, so it can cover a lot of space." Merlin felt a cool wash go over him, and he shivered a little.

Harry started. He felt that! Merlin moved a little, and pulled a few objects out of his sleeves. He set them down, and asked Harry to identify them if he could.

Harry could sense where the objects were and thickened the blanket of power around it. "A small glass statuette of a castle." He said softly. Harry also identified an old wand, a muggle magazine, a chess set, and a broom. He couldn't identify an illusion, but he could sense that it was there.

Merlin ended the exercise, and told Harry to practice it before he did his occulmency. He had to catch up with his group, and he learned what they were learning from the Founders and occasionally Merlin. Merlin usually taught mind things, but every so often, he would teach a practical lesson. Harry also studied War Tactics, and History of Magic. Unlike when Binns taught it, it was interesting, there were reenactments and the wizard equivalent of films. Eventually Harry caught up with his group, but he continued lessons with the founders, so he excelled, and was soon considering going back. He had been gone for six weeks. He wasn't totally sure if he wanted to go back. He had been at the Citadel for six years, and he really missed Hogwarts. One night he was talking with Lily about her family.

"Petunia isn't that bad really." Harry said.

"I suppose. Although I wish that Dumbledore had left you with Sirius." Lily said.

"So do I." Harry said. "When I go back, things are going to be really complicated."

"True. How is the wizarding world going to react to your parentage?" Lily asked.

"It's all really simple. I get the charms taken off so I look like Severus, and I make my debut as Avery Griffin Snape into the wizarding world." Harry said, grinning.

"That would work." Lily said mulling that over, as she poured her oldest son another cup of tea. "What about the people who know that you are Severus' son already?"

"I've learned how to oblivate." Harry pointed out.

"Are you going to oblivate Hermione?" Lily asked.

"I'll have to. Albus too." Harry said sadly.

"I find that hard to believe." Lily said.

"Well, I don't want Albus to know. I'm dreadfully tired of him controlling my life. He was the one who caused Sirius to fall through the veil. He was the one who wouldn't tell me about the blasted prophecy. He was the one who wouldn't let me stay with Sirius. He is the one who left me with the Dursleys." Harry finished his rant, not realizing that James was behind him.

"Harry." James asked, his voice sounding dangerously quiet.

"Hello James." Harry said, deciding that he should have kept his mouth shut. When would he learn?

"Did Dumbledore leave you with Lily's sister?" He asked.

Harry swallowed. "Yes. He did."

"He left you with the muggles?" James asked again, not sure he had heard right.

Harry nodded.

James glared at a portrait and the looked at Harry and grinned maliciously. "Well he is going to regret that choice." James said, walking through to the room and shutting the door to his study forcibly.

"Mum?" Harry asked, staring at the door. "What is he doing?"

"I think that he is plotting his revenge on Albus." Lily said, worry showing in her bright green eyes.

"I feel sorry for Albus." Harry said, shaking his head, then tucking the long lock of hair behind his ear. "Do you think I should cut it?" He asked.

Lily looked at Harry's hair for a bit. "Leave it long."

"How long?" Harry asked. "It's already long." Harry tugged the end of it, and the lock of hair nearly reached the elbow of his arm when it was fully extended, as it had a slight curl to it.

"It's not long. Make it get really long. Like this long." Lily said, tapping her hip.

Harry shook his head. "Not that long, I think I'll just leave it where it is now." Harry said.

"I suppose that's fine." Lily said.

"What do you think James is going to come up with?" Harry asked.

"I'm not sure. I'm nearly positive that it will be something that will be long lasting." Lily said.

"Should I be scared?" Harry asked.

"Quite possibly." Lily said. "If he finds out that they beat you, he will be doomed." Lily said.

"Why is that?" Harry asked, genuinely confused.

"He might make them suffer too." Lily said.

"Oh." Harry said.

"Yes. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to go and help him because I'm not too pleased with Albus myself. Would you mind taking Jamie? He needs some help with some of his work." Lily asked.

Harry thought for a moment. "Sure. I don't have anything else that I need to do tonight."

"Good." Lily said, and went and got Jamie from his room where he was practicing. "Jamie, Harry said that he'd help you with your work."

"Okay Mum. Can I stay the night there? Please?" He begged.

Lily looked up at Harry and he shrugged to indicate that he didn't mind. "Fine. Just be at breakfast okay?" Lily asked, before he son launched himself at her. "Oof."

Harry laughed, and bid his mother good-bye, and took his younger brother off to help him master a spell.

Halloween At Hogwarts.

Nearly Head Less Nick saw the group of Gryffindors in the common room sitting and looking at the fire like they had seen, well, a ghost. He was just about to go and see what was wrong, but there was a knock on the common room portrait.

Ron looked at the others and got up to go and open the portrait hole. He smiled weakly at Draco and Amy. "Hey guys, come on in."

Amy nodded and walked into the common room. "I like it in here." She commented, taking a chair by the fire.

"Too much scarlet." Draco said, "Needs some green." He added fingering his wand thoughtfully.

"Draco." Hermione said warningly. "What have we told you about changing the color of our furniture?"

"The other Gryffindors don't like it." He said, putting his wand back in his robes.

"Why don't you have your school robes on?" Ginny asked, noticing that the Slytherin patch was absent from the robes.

"I thought it would keep your portrait from yelling at me." Draco said.

"Did it work?" Hermione asked.

"No, sadly it didn't." Draco said, then he asked the question that he anted an answer for. "Why are we all here?"

"Because I asked them to be." Albus Dumbledore said from the shadows.

"I was wondering where you were." Ron said, putting an arm around Hermione.

"Hello sir." Draco said.

"Good evening. I'm glad you could come. You ask why you have been asked here. It is because I was compelled to bring you all here. Yet I do not know why." Dumbledore said softly, and then brightened. "Anyone want to play a game?"

"That sounds fun." Hermione said. "Although I feel guilty whenever I have fun because I don't know where Harry is." Hermione added softly.

"I'm sure Harry is fine where ever he is." Dumbledore advised her.

Hermione looked up at Dumbledore in shock. She had thought that he had known where Harry was. "You mean you don't know where Harry is?"

Dumbledore nodded, and he sat down in the last chair and conjured a table and pulled a game out of his robes. "How many of you know how to play Lemon Drop Madness?"

None of them knew, so Dumbledore set about explaining the game to them. After a while, the familiar bag of Lemon Drops appeared.

"Hi guys. I trust all of you have made it?" The bag asked.

"All of us?" Ginny asked suspiciously.

"Yeah, I invited you here." The bag said.

"You did?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah. All it took was a little time." The bag said. "So since it's my party, why don't you all have a lemon drop?" The bag asked.

"Okay." Dumbledore said, and took a lemon drop. "This tastes strange." HE said.

"Oh yeah, I made the Lemon Drops myself. They taste a little different, but that's because I had run out of light corn syrup and had to use dark corn syrup." The bag said.

"Oh. I actually think that these are better than my others. When you come back, do you think I could get the recipe?" Dumbledore asked.

"Of course I'll get it to you somehow." The bag said. Then there was what sounded like a conversation on the other end and a loud sigh. "I'm sorry, but I've got to go. An emergency came up that I have to deal with." The bag said.

"Well, see you soon." Hermione said.

"When Time allows." The bag said before disappearing.

"Well that was interesting." Draco said.

"How so?" Hermione asked.

"Well whenever the bag had appeared in front of others, the others have never noticed it, and he's only offered one Lemon Drop." The blonde pointed out.

Hermione thought for a moment. "That's right."

"Maybe he was just feeling generous." Ron contributed.

"Unless they were drugged." Ginny said bluntly.

"That's Harry! He wouldn't do that to us." Hermione said indignantly.

"How do you know it's Harry." Draco asked.

The others thought for a moment.

"It's his voice." Ron said.

"Voices can be imitated." Hermione said.

"True. Well, do you feel any different?" Ginny asked.

"Not really." Hermione said slowly, going over her body mentally, checking if everything was all right. Everything seemed to be okay.

"Well we'll just have to wait until Harry returns to find out.

Back at the Citadel

Time handed the bag of lemon drops back to Harry and said, "There. They won't remember that Severus is your father. We found a woman who knew Severus, and died recently. She will be your mother, she had one child who went missing right after it's birth."

"Okay. So that's been figured out. Now all I need to do is get the charm removed, and then I'm set." Harry said. Something occurred to him. "What about Sirius?"

"He needs to remember the truth. He came to terms with it, but it took him years. You don't have that time. You need him to accept you right now. You can claim to have met Harry so you can take Sirius and Serpentine from Amy."

"Okay, that sound s good." Harry said, pulling his hair out of the braid it was in. "I think I'm going to go back before Christmas.

"That's in a week." Time said sadly. She had enjoyed Harry's company greatly.

"Not Christmas here, Christmas there." Harry said.

"Oh. You had me worried. You're good company." Time said.

"Really? You don't just see me as the bloody boy who refuses to die?" Harry asked bitterly.

"No, I see you as someone who is kind, and doesn't go all regal on me when they realize just how important I am." Time said looking out the window. "I will miss you, you're a good friend."

"Thanks. I'm going to miss my friends when I get back." Harry said.

"I suppose that you will." Time replied.

"OF course I will, it's been almost torture without them here." Harry said quickly.

"TORTURE?" Rowena asked, coming into Harry's room.

"Yes." Harry said empathetically.

"Well, sadly, I've come to drag you to another torture session with Godric." She said, grinning at him.

"Joy." Harry said. "What weapon?"

"Freestyle." Rowena said, "With an audience."

"I'm going to be smashed. In front of everyone." Harry muttered disappearing into his room to change.

Time laughed. "I'm sure that it won't be that bad." She said loud enough that Harry could hear her.

"Have you ever fought freestyle against Godric?" Harry called back to her.

"No! Fighting is not proper for a female." Time said, mirth obvious in her voice.

"That's a bad excuse." Harry said.

"Not an excuse, it's an explanation." Time informed them.

"Really?" Harry asked.

Time grumbled something indecipherable, and then called to Harry. "I shall be watching you. If you are good enough you may be able to go back for a short visit."

"A visit?" Harry asked.

"Yes, a visit." Time said. "Only a few hours. You cannot spare much time." Time said, running her fingers through her hair in thought. "But you will first have to learn how to apparate, and you have shown some metamorphmagi traits, and we will need to test that."

"Really?" Harry asked. "That would make things so much easier. I could look like Harry Potter when I kill Voldemort, and then go back to looking like Avery Snape." Harry said.

"Avery?" Time asked skeptically. "That's your name?"

"I don't really like Avery, so I plan on going by Griffin mostly."

"Hooked nose? Severus is going to kill you when he finds out what you're calling yourself." Time said chuckling.

"Hey! I like the name, and that it means hooked nose is just an added bonus. If Severus thinks that it's referring to him, he can go and jump off the north tower." Harry said, coming out of his room with his hair tied back, and wearing his fighting robes.

"Uh-uh." Time said disbelievingly.

"Fine then be that way." Harry said, glaring at Time. She glared back and stuck her tongue out at him. Harry sneered at her.

"Stop it!" Rowena said. "I swear, you two are worse that Salazar and Godric."

"She's the one who doesn't like my name." Harry said.

"He's the one who threw a fit about it." Time said quickly.

"Did not!" Harry exclaimed.

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

Did n—ow!" Harry exclaimed in pain. Rowena had ended the argument by grabbing Harry by the ear, and pulling him towards the door.

"You will stop arguing with her. She is an immortal, therefore, she's got an infinite amount of time to think up good arguments. You, on the other hand are here to learn. Which you are supposed to be doing right now." By now they were in the hall, and Rowena was walking quickly, and still had Harry by the ear.

"Okay! I'm sorry. Now will you please let me go?!" Harry asked, tugging on Rowena's arm.

"Not until we get to the fighting hall." Rowena said, not loosening her grip one iota.

"But that's a ten minute walk!" Harry protested.

"Well, it could be worse." Time said, smirking.

Rowena grabbed Time's ear "You are over ten thousand years old. You should know better than to get involved in hopeless arguments. If you had not have been here when I arrived, I would think that you were only three. What have you got to say for yourself?" Rowena asked, tugging on Time's ear.

"You're hurting me?" Time asked, although no pain was evident in her voice.

"I seem to recall that you're a Goddess, and that you said that you couldn't feel pain from a mere mortal like me." Rowena snapped, walking faster, forcing Harry to nearly jog to keep up.

"If you say so. I could escape from you if I wanted." Time taunted Rowena.

"Are you sure about that madam Time?" A woman's musical voice asked from in front of the group.

Time cringed. "Not at all." She said softly, looking at the floor.

"My dear, do not be ashamed, after all you are only ten thousand, and twenty five. And you've only had your Citadel for five thousand years." The woman said. "It is lovely to see you darling." The woman said, cupping a hand under Time's chin and making her look up.

Time didn't look like a woman who was in charge any more, she looked like a child who was receiving an admonishment. Harry thought, rubbing his ear where Rowena had let go of it.

"As it is lovely to see you also mother." Time said, her red lips curving up into a smile.

Harry coughed in surprise. Well every one had a mother, so he shouldn't be surprised to see Time's mother.

Harry's cough drew the attention of Thessalia. "The boy known as the son of Lily and James." She said, looking at him.

Harry looked up and met eyes as green as his own.

"Well. This is just starting to get interesting. Harry, come with me, I need to have a talk with you. I am Thessalia, Time's mother, and there's something quite important that I need to tell you." Thessalia said, putting an arm around Harry's shoulders and walking off with Harry.

"Godric's not going to be pleased." Rowena said, watching their retreating backs.

Godric will just have to wait. While I may control most of what goes on in here. My mother can override my orders if she wishes to." Time said, "Let's go and break the news to Godric."

"Here is a lovely place." Thessalia said, sitting down on a bench by a fountain that a multitude of enchanted frogs hopping around in it. "Why don't you sit down." She said, patting the bench next to her.

Harry nodded, and he sat down. "What do you want to talk to me about?" He asked.

"Well, I'm sure that you noticed that you've got the same eyes as me." Thessalia said.

"Yeah, I get them from my mum." Harry replied.

"Yes, they're a trait in your family. Magical people in your family have green eyes." Thessalia said.

"Okay." Harry said.

"Good, I'm glad that you understand that. Well, not many people know this, but before I met Time's father. I fell in love with a mortal. Even though I knew that he would die before me, I lived as a mortal, making it look like I aged, when, in fact I didn't. He knew that I was immortal, but he loved me the same. We had a eight children, two boys, and six girls. All but the youngest boy and girl were magical. They had my husbands eyes. While the other's all had my green eyes." Thessalia said noticing that a look of comprehension was evident in Harry's eye.

"So you're saying that I descended from you?" Harry asked.

Thessalia nodded. "Yes, you're my many times great grandchild, while Time is your many times great aunt."

"Okay." Harry said slowly. I guess that this is okay. So not only have I found my mum and dad, and James, and a load of brothers and sisters, I'm also related to a couple of goddesses. My life just keeps on getting better and better. "How will this affect me?" Harry asked.

"Well, you already have strong powers because of the god in you, even though it is strongly diluted. You will live a touch longer than all of your friends, but not much longer if you don't die a premature death, you will be allowed entrance to the Citadel after your death because of your heritage, and you may have some strange powers that will need managing." Thessalia said. "I believe that is all, but there may be more, as it's been a while since I've told someone of their relation to me."

"This is... interesting." Harry settled on.

"Oh yes! Because you are a male, you can use the family weapons, and if you are in dire need of help, you can call on us." Thessalia said.

"Okay that's reassuring. I'm just curious, are you a goddess?" Harry asked.

"I'm the goddess of war. I've been mostly forgotten as have all of the other gods. Somehow worshipping us has died out." Thessalia said.

"I suppose that it has. How good are you at fencing?" Harry asked.

"I'm decent." Thessalia said.

"Can you beat Godric Gryffindor at a match?" Harry wanted to know.

"Occasionally. I'm about as good as he is, but I think that he goes easy on me because I'm female." Thessalia said, pulling her red hair back into a pony tail. "Would you like to have a go? I'm a bit rusty..." She trailed off.

"I'd love to." Harry said, grinning. "Do you think there's enough space here?"

Thessalia looked around calculativly. "I think so, anyway, it would be goo training."

"That it would be." Harry replied, drawing the sword he had made magically. It had taken him six months just to get the spell figured out, and another eight to get the sword perfect. The hilt was wrapped in silver wire with a ruby he had gotten from James. The blade was prefect for Harry's height, the weight as just right. It wasn't too heavy, or too light. A spell kept the blade sharp, and didn't let it become rusty.

"I like your sword." Thessalia commented.

"Thanks. It took me over a year to make it." Harry said.

"How long did it take you exactly?" Thessalia asked.

Harry thought for a moment. "About 14 months."

"You got your first sword done in 14 months?" She asked incredulously.

"Yeah." Harry said.

"That was very good, it normally takes a person two years to get it done." Thessalia said. "Did you do any more weapons?" She asked.

"Yeah, I did a matching dagger, and a practice sword." Harry said.

"And those took?" Thessalia asked.

"About six months each. They were easier, all I had to do was change parts of the spell and try it. Although I did get a really nice letter opener that matches my dagger." Harry said laughing.

"It wouldn't stay sharp?" Thessalia asked.

"Yeah. The point is sharp, but that's all." Harry said.

"Okay. As interesting as this conversation is, why don't we fight? I want to see how good you are." Thessalia said, picking up her sword, and assuming a fighting stance.

"Okay." Harry said, then looked at Thessalia's flowing robes. "Are you going to wear those?"

Thessalia looked at her robes and sighed. "I suppose not. These are my good robes. Are yours spelled for protection?" She asked, gesturing to the tight robes that Harry wore.

"Yeah, and they have a slit up the side for freedom of movement. Also I found some mithril (sp?) so I should be fine." Harry said.

"Okay then. I don't want to hurt you too much." Thessalia said, grinning at Harry.

"Why do people think I'm so bloody delicate?" Harry asked, lunging at Thessalia, who met his sword with a clang of metal on metal, and she stepped back and brought her sword in a slashing motion the would behead Harry had he not blocked it. Harry grinned.

"You are good at this." Harry said.

"I try." Thessalia replied, smiling maliciously, and going for Harry's legs, which Harry blocked, and then went for Thessalia's ear. She blocked that and tried to give Harry another lightning bolt on his forehead, and Harry blocked that, and went for her sword arm and his sword bit into her arm. Harry winced, and lowered his sword.

Only to bring it right back up to stop Thessalia from carving his heart out of his body.

"Don't ever give up until you opponent is down." She said, lunging in for a cut at Harry's sword arm.

"Okay." Harry said, sidestepping past Thessalia's lunge and turning. By the time Thessalia turned around, she had Harry's sword in her face. But instead of yielding, she grinned, and drew her dagger. Harry gulped. He wasn't goo with daggers. But he drew his dagger, and circled warily, his eyes never leaving Thessalia. She lunged at him, using both sword, and dagger. Harry blocked the sword, but the dagger made it past his guard, and cut into his cheek when he ducked.

"Sorry." Thessalia said, before Harry stepped forward and attacked with everything he had. Thessalia responded and Harry got a scratch on his right leg that was bleeding a little, and Thessalia had a small slash over her left eye that was messing with her vision a little.

Godric had been looking for Harry, he wasn't going to let Thessalia take his student. He found them, dueling in the hall. He stepped in to stop them, and got a bleeding shoulder for his trouble. Might as well wait it out. He decided while wrapping his shirt around his arm. Or maybe I should go to the healers. He though noticing that he was bleeding through his shirt. He decided on the healers, and began walking off, a little dizzy from blood loss.

Harry had thought that his sword had hit something, but there weren't any new cuts on Thessalia. How strange... He blocked Thessalia's attempt at beheading him, and tried to disarm her. Didn't work. She tried to take Harry's arm off, but Harry blocked it, and they came hilt to hilt. Now it boiled down to who was stronger. Thessalia pushed down on Harry's sword, as she was taller, and Harry pushed back. They were both had both of their hands on their swords, having dropped their daggers. Harry remembered something. He grinned at Thessalia, and hooked a foot around Thessalia's leg and pulled.

Thessalia lost her balance, and she fell backwards, unfortunately dropping her sword. She closed her eyes as she hit the clod marble floor. When she opened them, she saw Harry looking down at her, with his sword at her throat.

"Do you yield?' He asked, grinning.

"I yield." She said. "Now would you help me up?"

Harry laughed, and set his sword on the bench and stretched a hand down to Thessalia. She took it, and Harry pulled her up, and led her to the bench. "You put up a decent fight there." She said. "For a boy." She teased Harry.

"You did well for an old lady." Harry said teasing her back. Then Harry caught sight of her. He gasped.

"I suppose I don't look to good right now. Do I?" She asked.

Harry shook his head. "I bet I don't look too good either."

"No, you don't. You should see a healer." Thessalia said.

"So should you." Harry countered.

"True." Thessalia replied.

"Although, I don't think I'm hurt that bad." Harry said.

"Have you seen what you look like?" Thessalia asked.

"No, And I don't want to." Harry replied.

Godric came down the hall, and smiled when he didn't hear the clang of swords. He kept smiling until he saw the state of Harry and his opponent. "What happened to you?" He asked incredulously, taking in the state of Harry and who he now realized was Thessalia.

"We have a friendly sword fight." Harry said.

"Friendly?" Godric asked, not believing him.

"Yes, friendly." Thessalia said before shutting her eyes, and giving in to the blackness that surrounded her mind. Harry soon followed suit.

"Well friendly or not, both of you are going to the infirmary." Godric said, picking up their swords from the bench they were sitting on. He looked around and saw two daggers, one he recognized as Harry's, and another that must have belonged to Thessalia. He shook his head, and drew his wand and cleaned the area up of dripped blood. He realized that they were in no fit state to walk and he conjured stretchers and lifted them onto them, and floated Harry and Thessalia to the infirmary. Their cuts were healed in an instant and they were given a blood replenishing potion, but the witch in charge wanted to keep them there for a while, but unfortunately, Harry snuck away to his rooms, and Thessalia just disappeared.

A/N: Okay, it uploaded and it seems a LOT smaller than normal. Or is it just me? I hope it's just me, but a a warning, the sixe of text has been going screwy on my computer lately. Drives me insane, because i can't fix it, i have to wait fot it to go back to normal. Well, i'll quit boiring you to death. Review responses! Thanks for reviewing people, you made my day!

**Tabby:** I'm glad that you think I'm getting better at writing. I know what you mean about the first few chapters, I'm in the process of fixing them, nothing drastic, I think, but making them better. Thanks for reviewing, and I hope that you do so again in the future.

**Wanamaker:** I'm glad that you liked the chapter, and i hoped that you liked thiss one too. I can't write such long chapters during the school year : ( so I'm making them around 20 pages, inteast of 30 to 40, maening that I should be able to update once a week. Hopefully. Keep your fingers crossed!

**sparkling silver angel wings:******I'm not sure about the sister thing, but possibly. Right now, the only sister that you really see is Rose, but there's... I can't find their names. Leave your email in your review, and I should have them by then. I'm so disorganized!


	18. Griffin's entrance or return

Disclaimer: Ahem... Not Mine! Belongs to J. K. Rowling. Think for a moment. It I were Rowling, why would I be writing _fanfiction_? I would be slaving away on Half-Blood Prince trying to get it done so my fans could go and read it. I'm writing a Severitus challenge. Okay?

Things Are Looking Up

Chapter Eighteen

Remus was eating dinner in the great hall feeling quite depressed. Christmas was nearly upon them and Harry hadn't returned yet. Not to mention that his transformation fell on the full moon. He wasn't about to let Ron and Hermione join them, or Ginny. They still weren't able to completely hold onto their forms, and would change back unexpectedly. Hermione had nearly drowned, and she wasn't allowed to swim anymore.

Perhaps Harry would come home for the holidays. The Hogwarts students were leaving on the train tomorrow morning. Most of the students were going home to spend the time with their families, unsure of how much time they would have with them. Hermione and Ron were going to stay at the Castle, in hopes that Harry would arrive. Remus noticed Hermione's eyes on him, and smiled encouragingly.

Hermione smiled back and turned back to Ron. "I'm sure that he'll be back soon."

"Hermione, you've been saying that for months." Ron replied.

"Yes, so he should be back any day." Hermione said, rolling her eyes.

Ron nodded, and put a protective arm around Hermione. Something didn't feel right.

Ron was right. A few minutes later, the doors to the great hall banged open, and a cloaked figure strode in, coming to a halt in front of the staff table as the noise in the Great Hall became non-existent. You could have heard the cloaked figure's maille rattle softly, but there were charms on it, both for strength and silence.

Professor Dumbledore rose from his chair and drew his wand, eyeing the figure warily. "Who are you?" He asked.

"Me?" The man asked, for it was a male voice that spoke. "Of course you mean me, unless someone else barged into the Great Hall during dinner." The man laughed, a deep laugh that sent shivers down half of the females spines in the room. "Well, unless I am mistaken, I have come to find someone and Have a word with them."

"And who would that be?" Dumbledore asked.

"Your potions master. I need to speak with him on a delicate matter." The man said, grinning, you could see his gleaming teeth in the shadow of the hood of his black cloak.

Harry grinned. This was fun. Uh-oh. He felt power gathering around Albus. "I'd not do that sir. You would not like the results. After you had left the Hospital Wing, of course." Harry said, his grin widening when Albus' eye's widened in shock. It had apparently been a long time since someone had been able to sense his spells.

"I was not going to do anything, sir." Albus said haughtily.

"It was purely accidental that power was gathering around you in the form of an almost deadly curse?" Harry asked.

"I—You must be mistaken sir. Now, you'll tell me you name." Albus snapped, trying to see into the eyes of the person under the cloak.

"Griffin." Harry said. "That is all you need know."

"Okay, Griffin, why do you need to speak to Professor Snape?" Albus asked, practically glaring at this Griffin.

"That, my dear sir, is none of your business." Harry said. (Who shall now be referred to as Griffin by the masses.)

"Well, I am sure that you will have no problem with me accompanying Professor Snape if he does speak with you." Albus said grinning maniacally.

"Well, I have no problem with that at all sir." Griffin said, grinning to himself. He was now suddenly happy that Hufflepuff had made sure he was well versed in the art of illusions. He hated to do this to his friends... but it had to be done.

Dumbledore smiled and rose. "Good." He said Griffin, and to Severus he said, "Well Severus, come along."

Severus sighed and rose. He hadn't gotten a message from Harry in quite a few days, and was worried about him. Little did he know, he was about to get the shock of his life.

Ron and Hermione stared after the cloaked figure. There was something familiar about him. They just couldn't place it. They decided to take a short walk around the lake to ponder it.

"I wonder who he is." Hermione said thoughtfully, sidestepping a place that she knew a family of otters lived in.

"I don't know either. Maybe Voldemort's decided to make peace, and he's been sent to tell Dumbledore." Ron said.

Hermione sighed. "Honestly Ron, Voldemort would not do that. He's bent on world domination. He just wouldn't suddenly just cede." Hermione said, mulling the thought over. It was possible, but highly unlikely, so it was probably safe to rule it out. Suddenly something, a quite large something, I might add, appeared right in front of Hermione and Ron, and they tripped over the object. Hermione got up first, and looked at it warily. There was a coppery scent emanating from it.

A scent that Hermione had started to know all to well from helping in the hospital wing. Ron reached out a hand to touch it, only to be pushed away from Hermione.

"Don't touch him. He's hurt badly." Hermione whispered, and gently felt in the area of the person's neck. There was a pulse, ever so faint. There wasn't time to get him, or her, to the castle. She would have to treat him, or begin to at least. "Ron, you go and get Madam Pomfrey. Now!" She snapped, and Ron set of running towards the castle. Hermione swallowed nervously, she wasn't sure what to do. Should she flip the person over, or leave him as he was? She decided to flip him over.

She flipped the person over, so he was facing the gray sky, and she opened her eyes. And then she shut them immediately. So much blood... his, she could tell it was a he, face was covered in blood. Hermione looked down at her hands, and saw, that they too, had blood on them from the person. Now was not the time to become squeamish. Well, she should get the person's robes off, so she could tell where he was injured.

She gently unbuttoned the robes, and found that he wore no shirt. He had what looked like medieval breeches on, but that was all. This would make things better. Using a handy spell she had learned, she cleaned the robes of blood, and got the sleeve wet in the lake. Using the damp sleeve, she wiped, or tried to, wipe the blood off, of his chest. Her eyes widened when she realized what she was looking at. He had been whipped. Oh god. Hermione felt queasy. She hurriedly got up and stumbled to the bushes and gave her supper to the bush. Using the lake water to rinse her mouth of the taste of vomit, the boy moved. She rushed to his side, and murmured. "It's all right. You're fine."

"'Mione?" The person asked, in a voice familiar to her.

"Yes, it's 'Mione." Hermione said. "Now you just lay still, Madam Pomfrey is on her way."

"Pomfrey?" The person asked, eyelids fluttering softly, as if he was trying to open his eyes.

"Yes." Hermione said.

"Can't open my eyes. Why?" He asked.

"There's blood that's caked on them." Hermione said. "Do you want me to get it off?" She asked.

"Yes.. Please." The illusion said in a choked voice.

Hermione nodded, and got more of the robe wet, and gently wiped the caked blood from the person's eyes. Her eyes widened as she saw the end of a certain scar, but she refused to believe it. It could be a coincidence.

"Thank you." The person said, opening his eyes to reveal startling green eyes.

Hermione gasped, and tried to get the blood off of his forehead. Sure enough there was a scar shaped like a lightning blot. "Harry?" She asked.

"Yeah. I'm sure in a state aren't I?" Harry asked a hint of laughter in his voice.

"What happened?" Hermione asked, staring at the gaping wounds on Harry's chest. She could see something that looked like bone...

"I—I don't really remember 'Mione." Harry said softly, his eyes fluttering closed before he forced them open.

"Shush. You just rest. The nurse will be here any moment." Hermione said, stroking Harry hair, while taking his pulse with the other, it was slowing down.

"I'm so tired 'Mione. Tell the Dursley's that I'm sorry. Tell Padfoot, I always loved him. You and Ron have my best wishes." Harry said before his eyes fluttered closed.

Hermione sniffed. "Hold on Harry. They are almost here." Hermione said.

"I can't hold on. Good bye 'Mione." Harry said softly, before closing his eyes, an smiling. Hermione felt Harry's pulse slow then stop. Hermione sat, staring down at the battered and broken body of her friend. Tears filled her eyes, as an overwhelming feeling rise in her heart. Harry. Harry was gone. Harry was... She couldn't think it. She couldn't even think it.

Madam Pomfrey came out of the shadows with Ron next to her. "Hermione? Where is this mysterious man that showed up in front of you." She asked cheerfully.

"He'd died." Hermione said in a choked voice, still staring at her friends face waiting for him to sit up and laugh, say it was all a joke. He wouldn't; he never would. That she knew deep down in side of her.

"Well, I'm quite sorry my dear, you know we can't save them all." Madam Pomfrey said, coming up beside her, then gasping as she saw the features.

"Is—is that who I think it is?" She asked in a strange voice.

Hermione sniffed and nodded.

"Merlin. We're doomed." She whispered, before sitting heavily beside Hermione as a few tears began to fall from her eyes.

Ron was standing back and he couldn't see the identity of the body. He took a few steps forward as light from the moon suddenly illuminated the features of Harry's pale face.

"Harry?" He asked, and went and stood by the corpse. Tears began to well up in Harry's eyes. "Harry, mate? Sit up. You're scaring me." Ron said in an unnaturally high voice. "You're not dead. You—You can't be. C'mon, get up. You're faking. Stop it!" Ron was breathing heavily now. "C'mon mate, you have to get up now. You made Hermione cry! Get up!" Ron fell to his knees, and shook Harry's shoulder roughly. "Stop playing. You have to get up. Please." Ron said, before breaking down completely, clutching the hand of his dead friend, rocking back and forth, keening. Occasionally he would say "Harry, c'mon get up. You can stop faking now."

Madam Pomfrey was the first to come to herself. She looked from Hermione to Ron, and realized that she couldn't leave Ron alone, and Hermione wasn't able to deal with this sort of trauma. "Hermione dear? Can you run and get Dumbledore?"

Hermione sniffed, and looked at Ron. She nodded slowly. "Take care of Ron, he's almost all I've got left now." Hermione said, before turning and running as if the hounds of hell were after her.

Griffin and Snape were chatting about potions, when Hermione Granger burst into the Headmaster's office. Severus' eyes widened as he took in the girl's disheveled appearance. There was a smear of what looked like blood across her forehead, and there was a lot of it on her hands, and it was obvious that she had been crying.

"Professor? There's been an accident. Madam Pomfrey needs to see you. She's down by the lake." Hermione said panting, ignoring the other two people in the circular office. The portraits were staring at her in shock.

Dumbledore looked from Hermione to Severus and Griffin, and the sighed heavily. "You two, behave! I will return as soon as possible." Albus said, before turning and leaving.

Griffin sighed happily and watched as Dumbledore left the office.

"Do you have any idea of what's wrong?" Severus asked eyeing the other man warily.

"Yes, I do. The body of a badly whipped Harry Potter has just turned up, and died in the presence of Miss Hermione Granger." Griffin said, and watched as Severus started to leave. "Sit down Severus." Griffin said, watching as Severus sat back down in the chair, with a defiant expression on his face.

Griffin performed a few spells, and Griffin and Severus were encased in a glowing bubble. "Now listen carefully. No one can hear what is said in here, nor can they see in. I said the body. Harry is not dead." Griffin said, and watched as Severus relaxed. "That was an illusion that I created because it gave me some closure." Griffin said. "I was Harry Potter."

"Prove it." Severus said.

"I shall do just that. Harry Potter looked into your Pensive, so you quit teaching him Occulmency, which was written off as Remedial Potions. Harry Potter performed a friendship bond with his friends on the train, and has this as a result." Griffin paused, and a slowly rotating circle of letters appeared in Harry's hand. "Odd. My initials have changed." Griffin said thoughtfully. "Sirius Black is innocent, and is a dog and snake animagi, who is staying with Amy Heller because Harry had run off to the Citadel of Time where you spent a year there." Griffin said. "Anything else?"

"Er... What side is Draco Malfoy on?" Severus asked.

"The light." Griffin replied smoothly.

"Okay. One more. How did Harry's relatives treat him?" Severus asked, an impostor wouldn't know this.

"They treated him like dirt. For the ten years that he lived there before learning about the wizarding world, he slept in a cupboard, and was treated like a house-elf." Griffin replied, remembering his past and shuddering.

"I think I believe you. What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Snape snapped.

"Honestly. I've known that since the first potions lesson." Griffin paused. "A sleeping potion so powerful that it is known as the Draught of Living Death."

"It's really you." Severus said, moving to embrace Griffin.

"Yes, 'tis me." Griffin said, hugging his father back.

"So you're going by Griffin these days?" Severus asked.

"Yes. It's my new middle name." Griffin said sitting back down.

"Pray tell, what is your history?" Severus asked.

"This is what Time and I came up with." Griffin said, and Severus nodded for him to continue. "Okay, you knew a woman by the name of Claire Delacroix. She went missing, I believe fifteen years ago. She had given birth to a child of unknown parentage, and the child was kidnapped. She was devastated, and she left and hasn't been heard of since." Griffin said. "She is my mother, and you are my father. She named me Avery Griffin Delacroix. I prefer to go by Griffin, and she had found me and we were living in a secluded forest most of the time, living off of the land when she grew ill six months ago. Due to the fact that she refused to be treated, she died, leaving me a note to tell me that you are my father. After three months of traveling, I came upon an ill Harry Potter. He had broken his leg and was unable to travel, and I healed him, He stayed with me, and we became great friends. He was convinced that his end was near, and willed all his belongings to me, believing that he would have died on the road had I not found him. He left my care, and I have been following him for the past month, but I lost track of him a week ago, and thought that he might be headed for Hogwarts." Griffin said.

"Very good story." Severus said. "I do see why Harry had to be dead for this to work."

"Well, do you agree to it?" Griffin asked.

"Of course." Severus replied. "I suggest that you don't reveal that you are my son just yet, because it would look rather suspicious."

Griffin nodded. "Dumbledore is approaching." He dissolved the shield, and asked Severus. "So is the Wolfsbane Potion terribly hard to brew?"

"It is rather complicated, but if you follow the directions carefully, you should be able to brew it properly." Severus said as Albus Dumbledore returned to the room. Albus looked at them, his shoulders drooping, and the twinkle in his eyes noticeably absent.

"Ah, Severus. I am glad that you are still here, and in prefect condition too." Albus said, smiling a little. "I must inform you that Harry Potter has passed away this evening. Could you please go and tell your Slytherins?" Albus asked.

Griffin bowed his head to hide his smile. It was working!

"Of course sir." Severus said softly. "I'll leave you to inform the other heads." Severus said before sweeping out of the room.

Albus nodded, and summoned Professor Sprout, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Flitwick. When the three heads were sitting in chairs in front of his desk, he sighed, and looked at the tree faces in turn.

Professor Flitwick, head of Ravenclaw house, short, his cheery face creased with wrinkles, and his pale blue eyes bright with some emotion. Professor McGonagall sitting tall and straight in her chair with her eyes fixed on the headmaster, her lips pinched into a thin line with worry for the headmaster. She could tell that something was wrong. Professor Sprout with a smudge of dirt on her face, she had been tending to her plants when she had called. Albus sighed.

"I regret to have to inform that Harry Potter has been found. He was portkeyed to the shore of the Lake where Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley found him. Miss granger sent Mr. Weasley for help, while she stayed with him. At the time she did not realize who it was. She began to tend to him. Harry was severely injured. It appears that he had been held captive and was whipped to the point of death. Miss Granger began to tend his wounds when he began to stir, and he wanted to the blood that had caked his eyes closed to be wiped off. Miss Granger obliged him, and he opened his eyes to reveal the exact set of eyes that Miss Granger did not want to see. Unfortunately Harry died before Poppy could get to him." Albus said, bowing his head. "We have lost a great wizard today." He finished.

The others sat there in shock. Minerva was the first to recover. "Harry Potter is dead?" She asked, her voice nearly breaking.

Albus nodded his head gravely.

"I—I must go and inform my students." She said, hurriedly getting up to go and do so. Once outside of the door, she fumbled in her robes for her handkerchief and pulled out a tartan square, and mopped her eyes with it. She began the trip to Gryffindor Tower dreading it every step of the way.

In the Dungeons

Severus had called all the Slytherins, and they had assembled in the common room. Severus took a quick head count, and realized that they were all there. He took a deep breath, and began. "Harry Potter has been found. Unfortunately he is dead. I ask that you have respect for his friends out of the fact that he is dead." Severus finished. "That will be all."

The Slytherins wait until Severus had left before suggesting having a party.

In Dumbledore's office.

Professor Flitwick sat still for a moment before getting up and leaving. "I must go and tell my Ravenclaws." He said before hurrying out the door.

Gryffindor Tower

Ron and Hermione were sitting right where Madam Pomfrey had left them. She had cleaned up Hermione and Ron considerably, but all she was capable of was staring into the fireplace. They looked up as Professor McGonagall came through the portrait hole, and she came over to them.

"Have you told anyone?" She whispered to them.

Hermione and Ron both shook their heads.

"I am terribly sorry." She said to them. Hermione nodded, and nestled against Ron and he put a protective arm around her.

Professor called all the Gryffindors down from their dorms until all of them were here. She took a quick head count, and they were missing one, but it took her a moment before she realized that it was Harry that they were missing.

"It is my sad duty to inform you that Harry Potter has been found. He was gravely injured, and did not survive. We are without one of our number, and he will not be forgotten. Please respect those who were close to Harry Potter. That is all I ask of you." Professor McGonagall said, and she turned to leave, but a voice stopped her.

"Professor?" Ginny Weasley asked, pushing her way through the crowd, using her elbows. "How was he killed?" She asked.

"He was whipped, and he was unable to survive." Minerva replied before ducking out of the portrait hole and using a nearby secret passage to go to a room that she had found in her own time at Hogwarts. When things weren't going very well, she would come here. She had eventually turned it into a very nice place to be, but she never visited it often. There was a pile of cushions in the corner, with a few blankets among them. It was here Minerva finally allowed herself to cry. Nestled among the cushions Minerva cried for Harry Potter, to die at so young an age, for her parents murdered by Voldemort, for the Longbottoms, stuck in St. Mungo's, for Remus, who had nobody left really, for the innocent muggles murdered by Death Eaters, for all the families affected by Voldemort.

The Ravenclaw Common Room

Professor Flitwick squared his shoulders before walking into the common room. He looked around, and most of them were either studying, or reading. He quickly counted, and realized that they were all there. That made things somewhat easier.

He cleared his throat, and they all looked up at him. "Harry Potter has been found." Flitwick started out and then stopped as eager whispers traveled throughout the common room. Perhaps he shouldn't have started out that way. "He was found by the shore of the lake mortally injured. It is believed that he was whipped." Flitwick paused before delivering the final blow. Unfortunately Miss Chang stopped that from happening.

"Professor, will he make it?" Cho asked, stepping to the front of the group.

Flitwick turned and went to the door. "He did not make it Miss Chang. By the time Madam Pomfrey got there he had already passed to the next realm." The small teacher ducked out to the hall and made for his rooms where he could find some comfort. Curse Voldemort! He had taken his wife and his family, leaving him all alone in the world. At least until he had found Hogwarts. Now Voldemort had taken the school's hope. Flitwick wondered what the school's fate would be. Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger must be devastated. Especially since he had died in front of Miss Granger.

Luna Lovegood left her house and made her way to the Gryffindor Common room; they would be needing her. It felt so nice to be needed. Although it hurt to have it come around this way. Harry had been nice to her. She would honor his memory for that. She reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, the portrait, recognizing her, opened up, and Luna nodded to it, and went it to find Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Neville sitting together looking into the fire.

The Hufflepuff Common Room.

Professor Sprout waited patiently for all of her students to assemble themselves in the common room. "It is my regret to inform you that Lord Voldemort has stolen another life from us. Harry Potter has died today. He was whipped, and portkeyed to Hogwarts. His friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley were the ones to find his body. He was so badly beaten that he was not recognizable. Miss Granger sent Mr. Weasley for help, and before he could return with Madam Pomfrey, Harry Potter passed on." Professor Sprout wiped a tear from her eyes, and left the common room to return to her green house to find some solace in the plants.

Dumbledore's Office

Dumbledore regarded the stranger who sat with Fawkes on his arm, and decided to speak.

"Griffin? Such an odd name." Dumbledore said trying to get more out of the stranger.

"'Tis my middle name, and where I hail from, 'tis not such and odd name. Although Dumbledore would be considered odd there." Griffin said, blinking back a few tears, wondering why he was crying. He hadn't died. It must have been because he was now unable to go back, he concluded.

"Where are you from?" Dumbledore.

"I know not where I was born, but my mother and I lived in a wood by ourselves. My mother recently died, and instructed me to come here." Griffin said.

"What was your mother's name?" Dumbledore asked, hoping to get the mysterious stranger to reveal more about his past.

"A witch by the name of Claire. Her family exiled her when she became pregnant with me." Griffin said.

Claire. The name was familiar, but he couldn't place where he had heard it before. "What a lovely name." Dumbledore commented.

"I always thought it was." Griffin replied. "I miss her dreadfully." It was true, her missed Lily dearly, but he knew that he would see her again. When Time allowed. "I am sorry that Harry Potter has died. It must be a great loss for the wizarding world."

Dumbledore sat up. "I must tell the press. They would have my head if I forgot to mention this to them. I shall have one of the house elves show you to a room." Dumbledore said, summoning an elf. Thankfully it was one that hadn't known Harry, so it didn't recognize him.

"Tindy, this is Griffin. Would you show him to a room? Thank you." Albus said, pulling a jar out of his desk.

Tindy nodded, and looked up at Griffin with wide green eyes.

"Hello Tindy. I'm Griffin and I would appreciate that you call me that. Do you understand?" Harry asked the elf.

Tindy nodded, and said, "If Griffin would follow Tindy, he can be shown his rooms. The castle has found a room for you and you are welcome to it." Tindy said.

Griffin grinned, and said, "Of course I'd love to see the room at least."

The elf brightened, and gripped Griffin's hand. "Come along then."

Griffin laughed and followed her.

Gryffindor Common Room.

Ginny Weasley was sitting off in the corner by herself when she realized that something had never happened. She had never told anyone, but she was an empath, and a Telepath, meaning she could sense emotions and talk mind to mind. The combination of the two had given her a unique ability. She was able to bond herself to people. For practice, in her third year, she had bound herself to the Four Champions. She had felt Cedric die. She hadn't felt Harry die. She smiled to herself, and felt through the bonds she had with her friends and family. They were getting quite confusing, and as she was getting more powerful, she had been catching thoughts from people.

She found the bond with Harry and found that it wasn't thin and stretched as it used to be, but it was thick. She smiled. It meant that Harry was near. It would make things easier for her. She slipped out of the common room. And began wandering the halls following the general direction the tie led in. Eventually she reached the a door that had a small gold plaque on it the said, 'Griffin'. Ginny frowned, and felt for the tie, and sure enough it led through the door. There was one more thing that she could do. She looked at the friendship bond circle and sure enough, Harry's initials had changed. They were now a G, A, and H entwined, and a P, S, D entwined for the second initial. Well, Might as well bother him. She delicately placed her pointer finger on the set of initials and thought to Harry.

'Hem Hem.' Ginny though, grinning when she felt him jump.

'Who is in my head.' Griffin asked.

'Have you been gone so long that you don't know my voice?' Ginny asked innocently.

'I am Griffin and I command you to reveal yourself.' Griffin said out loud, looking through his room. There was no way possible that anyone could get into his head, he had excellent defenses. If what was around his mind could be called a wall, its height could be comparable to the Cliffs of Insanity. (Princess Bride, c'mon people!)

'You don't have wards against the true bond of friendship and telepaths.' Ginny said bluntly.

'Wait. True bond of Friendship. Telepath...' Griffin trailed off thinking. 'Ginny?!' He asked.

'Who else?' She asked, smiling.

'What are you doing here?' Griffin asked.

'Finding out why you faked your own death.' Ginny said. 'I'm right outside of your room, may I come in?'

'Fine.' Griffin replied. 'Door's open. Come in.'

'You leave your door unlocked?' Gunny asked accusingly.

'I do not. I opened it for you.' Griffin replied.

'Harry James Potter! You were no where near that door!' Gunny shouted at him, and he cringed.

'Avery Griffin Delacroix-Snape.' Griffin said.

'What!?' Ginny asked surprised.

'I've killed Harry Potter, don't you see? I'm tired of being the bloody-boy who lived, and I recently found out that James isn't my father Severus is, you know this, I just made you forget it, because it would ruin everything, and you can't tell any body at all of my true identity. So eventually I'll come out as Severus' son, and then, things will be great.' Griffin said contentedly.

'Ah. What's with the last name?' Ginny asked.

'Er.. An old friend of Severus' who had a kid, kid and lady went missing. I am said kid. My fake mum's name is Claire Delacroix.' Griffin said.

'Okay. So what does Snape think of all of this?' Ginny asked, sitting down on the couch that was there.

'I think that he's okay with it. I'm going to talk to him about it soon, and I'll have the holidays to discuss it.' Griffin said.

'Sounds good.' Ginny replied. 'Where are you?' She asked

'Oh! I'm sorry, I'm lying on my bed. I'm used to Lemon Dropping people so I completely forgot that you were in the next room.' Harry said.

'Why don't you come out here?' Ginny asked.

'Okay.' Griffin replied. A few seconds later, the cloaked figure from dinner came out of a door she hadn't noticed before. "Hey Ginny." Griffin said.

"Harry?" Ginny blurted out.

"Griffin." Harry replied gritting his teeth.

"Sorry about that. But could you take the cloak off?" Ginny asked.

"I've been trying to. It's magically tied to me, a gift from the founders and it won't come off." Harry grunted, trying to tug the cloak off, but making no progress.

"Do you want me to try?" Ginny asked before what he'd said hit home. "The founders?!" She asked.

"Er, yeah. Apparently they live in the Citadel Of Time." Griffin said, hoping that she knew that legend.

"Really? So that's where you were. I kept getting glances of you. I couldn't figure out where you were. I saw you standing next to Professor Snape with a little girl who was weaving flowers into your hair. She girl had red hair, and brown eyes. She was so cute. Do you know who she is?"

"Yeah. That's be my half-sister, Rose. She's about four, and she loves to put flowers in people's hair. Did you notice that Severus' hair is less greasy?" Griffin asked.

Ginny thought for a bit. "Yeah. I wondered why."

"Rose accidentally made James' hair greasy." Griffin said, laughing, and the hood slipped off of his head.

Ginny gasped. "Ha—Griffin?" She asked sounding confused.

"Oh, I'm a metamorphmagi, and I've only really changed my eye color." Griffin said.

"Oh. Could I see you with your eyes the normal color?" Ginny asked.

Griffin nodded, and the deep blue of his eyes changed to an emerald green. Griffin pulled his braid out from under his cloak, and Ginny gasped. "It's so long."

"I know. I grew it out at the Citadel. I think I like it long. Besides, if I have to go under cover as a girl, it makes it easier."

Ginny laughed, and Griffin just raised his eyebrows. "I'm sorry!" She said in-between laughs. "It's just the idea of you pretending to be a girl is funny."

Griffin sighed. "Well if you don't mind, I'm going to fix my hair It's had a rather stressful day." Griffin said, trying to get Ginny to laugh harder.

It worked. Griffin shook his head and started unbraiding his hair, and then glared at Ginny.

She stopped laughing. An expression of worry graced her featured, and was soon duplicated by Harry he looked down at his hand and saw that Hermione and Ron's initials were glowing a green that looked a lot like the Killing Curse.

"Shit." Griffin said. "Where are they?" Griffin asked, rushing back to his room. A minute later he emerged wearing his cloak with a sword, and dagger at his side.

"I know where they are, but I don't know where that is." Ginny lamented.

"Grab my arm. I'm going to go into your mind, and use your information to transport us there." Griffin said.

"You can't apparate into and out of Hogwarts." Ginny said.

"I can. Grab on to me." Griffin snapped. Ginny did so, and Griffin entered Ginny's mind. They were at the graveyard, they had decided to crash a Death Eater meeting. "Salazar, Rowena, Godric, Helga, I call on you now. My friends are in danger and I must leave quickly. Help me!" The last two words were shouted, and Ginny could sense something different in the air. Something responded in her timidly, but she pushed that aside.

"Griffin." A woman's voice said.

"As you have asked." A man's voice continued.

"As we have sworn." Another woman's voice continued.

"We will deliver." A second man added.

"We shall help you!" The four said together, and Ginny felt herself being picked up by two sets of hands that seemed to cradle her. Either she had shrunk, or these were very large hands. Ginny realized that they were moving through the air, and looked down to see two women carrying her, and two men carrying Harry. The ground was going by so _fast_. The feeling was wonderful, once she got used to it. Ginny's grip loosened on Griffin, and Griffin clutched her all the tighter.

"Don't let go of me. They've come to help me and I don't know what they'll do with you if you let go." Griffin shouted to her.

Ginny nodded to show she understood. One of the women began talking in her ear. "Young Gryffindor, Godric has forged you a sword that will work for you until you can come and learn for yourself. Will you accept the gift of the sword, and the knowledge that will help you?" The woman asked.

"What are the consequences?" Ginny asked.

The other woman laughed. "Well, Rowena, Godric finally has an heir who is wise."

"Helga..." Rowena warned.

"You're the founders?" Ginny asked, her eyes wide.

"Yes we are, there'll be time for that later. The consequences is that the knowledge will only last for this one fight. After that you will have to learn it all over, and it will be frustrating, knowing that you have done it before but cannot manage it now."

Ginny thought it over for a moment. "I'll accept." She said.

"A wise choice Ginevra." A shining figure had appeared next to the women. "Had you not chosen it, your time would have soon come to an end. But you have once again flaunted death."

"Who are you?" Ginny asked warily.

"Time. I too, have joined into this fight for your friends lives, I have slowed the Time down where they are." Time said.

Griffin heard this comment. "Thank you Lady." He said bowing his head.

"How many times have I told you not to call me LADY? She asked, nearly shouting. "IT MAKES ME FEEL OLD!!!"

"Well you have been around for a millennia." Griffin replied.

"Remember the time difference? I can make that irrelevant. So unless you wish to age twelve years in an instant, shut up about my age!" Time retorted. Ginny realized that this must be a repeated argument.

"Both of you hush! We best mush!" Salazar said.

"What?" Ginny asked.

"Salazar likes rhymes." Griffin explained.

"I like dimes." Salazar retorted.

"Both of you. Stop. We're nearly there." Godric spoke up. Okay, we'll be all using swords, and curses in-between. Did you give Ginevra power to use her sword as a wand?" Godric asked.

"No, your heir already had enough power and more." Helga retorted.

"Okay then. Let's go!" Time said, leading the attack.

The Death Eaters were in a circle around Hermione and Ron who were tied to a tombstone. There was a cauldron with something bubbling in it, and Griffin felt a sense of deja vu and felt himself looking around for Cedric.

Time screamed her war cry that never failed to scare Griffin, but Griffin echoed her, and Ginny added in her screech, and the founders joined in. Now that their presence was known, they started attacking in full force. Voldemort had trained his Death Eaters in the art of sword play, but they were rusty. Voldemort found himself facing Salazar, and he called for Nagini, but Salazar just grinned.

'_Oh my, aren't you a pretty snake?_' He asked in parseltongue.

"Who are you. I am the only one who speaks the noble tongue of the snakes!" Voldemort cried out.

'_I am Salazar Slytherin, and I do not acknowledge you as my heir!_' Salazar hissed something indistinguishable in parseltongue, and Voldemort was hit by the spell, and Voldemort's red eye's widened when he realized what he had been hit with.

The battle paused as every one turned to Voldemort, and they watched as a steam rose off of him to spell out 'I SALAZAR SLYTHERIN DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE (A.K.A VOLDEMORT) AS MY HEIR!' Salazar laughed a little, before staring to duel with Voldemort using both swords and magic.

Griffin winced. That had to hurt. Oh well, Slytherin was having fun pissing Voldemort off, so he would let him. Griffin felt someone enter his aura and he turned, and instinctively attacked and stopped immediately when he saw it was Ginny, thankfully she had blocked it.

"Sorry. Instinct." Griffin said.

Ginny nodded, and replied, "Do you want to go in with me to get Ron and Hermione?"

Griffin looked towards the middle. "Sure. Try not to kill, but just injure them enough to keep them from escaping."

"Okay. Let's go." Ginny said. "Watch my back?" She asked.

"If you watch mine." Griffin replied.

"Of course." Ginny replied, grinning.

"I'd be honored." Griffin replied, keeping an eye on Ginny, Ron and Hermione, and the fight, was going to be hard, but he should be able to pull it off. But just in case, he sent a shield to cover Ron and Hermione. They looked at him gratefully, but Griffin didn't notice as he had just been attacked by a sword wielding Death Eater. Who was actually somewhat decent. Griffin sighed.

"It will be such a pity to kill you." Griffin said.

"And why would that be? I'm just Death Eater scum. Forced to join by my Dad." The Death Eater replied.

"I haven't had such an excellent opponent in years." Griffin said, it was a bit of a lie, as Godric would be able to beat him, But he was still an excellent swordsman.

"Neither have I." The Death Eater said.

"Such a pity." Griffin commented. "I'm Griffin by the way."

"I am Ferum." The Death Eater said.

"Interesting. I think your Dad had your career planned from an early age." Griffin said.

"I like my name. What would you say if I decided to switch sides?" Ferum asked.

"I'd say, I've just performed Legilimency on you and your intentions are honest. Would you mind taking a message to Dumbledore for me?" Griffin asked.

"Not at all." Ferum replied, still dueling with Griffin. "

Okay, tell him Weasley and Granger are in the graveyard in Little Hangleton, and there's a pretty good battle going on." Griffin asked.

"Okay. Is that all?" Ferum asked.

"Well you might want to tell him you just switched sides." Griffin added.

"Yes I suppose that'd be good." Ferum replied and then laughed. "I think we could quit dueling, although I'd love to fight you in a friendly fight."

"I agree." Griffin replied, and stopped dueling, and put a hand on the sword, and said. "Sword's a portkey you're going in three...two...one." And Ferum disappeared, greatly surprising one Albus Dumbledore who was planning Harry's memorial and funeral in his office. Also nearly impaling him with his sword, but he missed, so it doesn't matter. Much.

Griffin realized that Godric was glaring at him. Griffin grinned, and mouthed, 'He switched sides.' Godric nodded, and the mouthed back. "Not because he's a good swordsman?'

Griffin shrugged and began fighting his way towards Hermione and Ron. A Death Eater with a short dagger charged Griffin, and Griffin ran the man through for his trouble. He cringed, this was his first actual battle, so things were a bit stressful. He noticed that the mans blood was running off of his cloak like it was water, so that was a reassuring thing. He was rather attached to it, as it had many magical qualities.

He looked to his left, and Ginny was rather busy fighting a Death Eater who was more experienced than her, so she was slowly losing, she had a clean cut on her cheek, but that was all that Griffin could see.

'A little help here?' Ginny asked.

'Sorry!' Griffin snapped.

Griffin walked over, knocking a Death Eater on the head with his fist that had the weight of his sword in it, and did the same to the Death Eater who Ginny was fighting. Ginny grinned, and they looked around. There was a multitude of black lumps on the ground, and Salazar was still fencing with Voldemort. "Wanna go and bother Moldy-Voldy?" Griffin asked.

Ginny looked appraising at the situation. "Of course my knight in shining armor." Ginny said playfully, extending her hand. Griffin took the cue, and brushed his lips against the back of her hand. Ron seeing what was happening, tried to charge through the barrier, but only succeeded in knocking himself onto his arse.

"Let's go then." Griffin said, walking casually over to Salazar. "Hello my dear friend, mind if my Lady and I join in?"

"No not at all." Salazar replied, lazily blocking Voldemort's curse that was accompanied by a deadly green jet of light. "I think that odds of three against one are just lovely, don't you Tom?"

"Curse you Salazar!" Voldemort replied, sending a nasty yellow blot at Ginny.

Griffin blocked it with his sword, and felt the magic stored in his sword get a little stronger. Griffin stepped forward and began attacking, oblivious to members of the Order appearing. Salazar, having caught his breath, looked over to Ginevra. "My dear, would you like a few temporary sword tricks?"

"Why not?" Ginny asked.

"Okay then." Salazar tapped Ginny gently on the head with his sword and grinned at her. She matched it with one of her own, and her and Salazar began attacking in earnest with Griffin. Arthur Weasley stood petrified at the sight of his precious daughter dueling Voldemort with a sword, along with two strange men. He then looked around and saw that there were three women who he had never seen before dueling a group of Death Eaters using magic and swords. One of them suddenly grinned evilly, and sheathed her sword. The Death Eater she was fighting stopped, and the charged her. The woman who almost seemed to glow snapped her fingers and a staff appeared out of thin air and dropped into her outstretched hand. She swung it at him and clipped him below his left ear. She grinned once more and said, "Your time is up." As she brought the staff down sharply on his head. He swayed once, then dropped like a sack of potatoes.

Another Death Eater took advantage, thinking that she wasn't on guard. As soon as he was in reach, she whirled, bringing the staff down low, he couldn't stop quickly enough and ended up getting hit hard in-between the legs and flying over her head.

Arthur cringed, and was very glad that hadn't been him. There was a high pitched scream, and Arthur turned back to the duel between Voldemort, and his daughter, and her friends. Ginny was smirking at him, a slash across Voldemort's cheek, and him glaring at Ginny.

"What? Upset that a little girl could get a hit on you?" Ginny asked, loud enough for the sound to carry over to Arthur.

Voldemort lunged at Ginny, but ran into Griffin and Salazar's swords.

Salazar felt him getting ready to leave, but waved his hand quickly and the words from before reappeared above his head, and Voldemort felt apparated away.

"Pay up Griffin. I got first hit." Ginny said, extending her hand to Griffin. He grumbled something about how she had learned it the easy way. "You still owe me."

Griffin glared at her, but then smiled, and pulled out a money bag, and dropped ten galleons into Ginny's outstretched hand one by one.

"GINEVRA WEASLEY! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING!! GOING AGAINST HE-WHO-MUST-NOT-BE-NAMED LIKE THAT??" Arthur Weasley shouted at his daughter, walking at her with murder written on his features.

"Simple. I was er... given the knowledge by a friend, and I put it to use." Ginny said.

Salazar tapped her on the shoulder. "And you owe me two galleons." He held his hand out. Ginny grumbled about it. "I'll have you know that you used my trick to get the first hit in. You agreed. So pay up."

Ginny grinned and pulled out two galleons, and dropped them into his hands.

"A kiss my fair Lady?" Salazar asked.

"AHEM." Griffin said loudly. "She's mine."

"I am?" Ginny asked sounding puzzled, although she wasn't. She was playing with their minds.

"You said, and I quote, 'Of course my knight in shining armor' when I asked you if you wanted to go and fight Moldy-Voldy." Griffin said smugly.

"Fine." Ginny said. "Not to mention that you said, to Salazar, 'Hello my dear friend, mind if my Lady and I join in?'" Ginny finished smugly.

"True. But you started it." Griffin replied.

"And I'll finish it." Ginny said. "I'll be your Lady. Now you can't call her—" Ginny said, jerking her thumb in the general direction of Time. "My Lady any more, 'cuz that's me." She said grinning.

Time grinned at this. "Thank you very much Ginevra, if he slips up, I'll be sure to send him to you for punishment."

"Why thank you." Ginny said.

"You're welcome. He can be a pain, but that's out Griffin." Time said.

Ginny raised and eyebrow. "Our Griffin?"

"Yes, our Griffin, because he will end up in my Citadel, so you're mine too." Time finished grinning.

"Why, thank you." Ginny said, curtseying towards Time.

"And that is the end of that. I get curtsied to and My lady'd enough at home, and I'll not have it here." Time said, glaring at Ginny.

"Of course." Ginny said, and muttered "My Lady." under her breath.

"Stop it." Time said.

"Fine." Ginny replied, and then looked at the others who had arrived.

Time caught on and gasped. "Oh, I've been so rude. Let me introduce my friends." She beckoned to them, and the came.

"She beckons and we come like little puppy dogs to our master." Griffin muttered.

Time heard this and patted Griffin on the head. "Of course. Now, this young darling is Griffin, who is known only as Griffin, and his lady is Ginevra, you two make such a cute little couple," she said, moving them closer to each other. "With me are the Four founders, Godric Gryffindor, excellent swordsman, Rowena Ravenclaw, also very good with swords, but prefers to use a staff, Helga Hufflepuff, doesn't like to get involved, but is she has to is very proficient with a sword, and the Salazar Slytherin, also an excellent swordsman, Only person who has ever beaten Godric." Time finished, but Griffin coughed.

"Oh yes, Griffin did beat Godric once, but Godric claims that he tripped." Time added.

"Because I did trip!" Godric said.

"I won fair and square!" Griffin replied.

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Not!"

"Too!"

"How long will they go on for?" Ginny asked.

"Forever." Time replied.

"I can get 'em to shut up." Ginny said.

"I'll bet five galleons that you can't." Time replied, knowing that she was going to lose.

"Watch me." Ginny aid, and then walked up to Griffin and kissed him right smack on the lips. It shall be noted that not only did Griffin stop arguing, but he also stopped breathing for a full five seconds. And remained in a sort of daze for the next minute and a half.

Ginny grinned and walked over to Time who was pulling out five galleons. She got the galleons, but as she was turning caught sight of her brother who was miming killing Griffin. At least that's what it looked like.

"OhshitweforgotRon!" She exclaimed, and Dumbledore turned to her.

"Where are they?" He asked looking around wildly.

"Er, they're in a bubble sort of thing Griffin made to keep them safe. That's why we're here." Ginny explained.

"Oh! I see. That's a very had spell to perform. And you say that Griffin did that?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yeah I did. Do you want them out?" He asked.

"That would be nice. I need to go and strangle Ron." Ginny muttered.

"Can't have you choking your own brother now, can we?" Time said, and took the shield down herself, but before she did that she went over to be close to it. As soon as it was down she began laying into Ron.

"RONALD WEALSELY, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!! DID YOU EVER STOP TO THINK THAT THEY COULD KILL YOU?! DO YOU HAVE A DEATH WISH? DO YOU WANT TO END UP LIKE HARRY!? HOW WOULD THAT MAKE YOUR MOTHER FEEL?! HARRY WAS LIKE A SON TO HER. LOSING TWO SONS IN THE SAME DAY?! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING. I SWEAR IF YOU WEREN'T IMPORTANT TO THIS TIME PERIOND I WOULD TAKE YOU AND DUMP YOU IN A DIFFERENT TIME PERIOND!! HOW'D YOU LIKE THAT??? AND TAKING HERMIONE WITH YOU! I KNOW THAT SHE DIDN'T WANT TO GO! DO YOU NOT REMEMBER THE DEATH EATER ATTACK ON HER HOUSE THIS SUMMER? SHE ESCAPED WITH HER LIFE THAT TIME!!! HOW WOULD THEY FEEL KNOWING THAT YOU HAD LEAD THEIR ONLY CHILD TO HER DEATH!?!! YOU WOULD HAVE DIED TONIGHT HAD I NOT PLEADED WITH A HIGHER DIETY FOR YOUR LIVES BECAUSE YOU ARE IMPORTANT TO THE FUTURE!!! YOU ARE NOT INVINCIBLE!! IT IS NOT YOUR JOB TO GO AND GET YOURSELVES CAPTURED BY DEATH EATERS!!!" Time stopped yelling only because Griffin, Godric, Salazar, Rowena, and Helga had all hit her with silencing charms.

She could still talk through them too. "Take them off of me. Right now."

"If you sill quit yelling at him." Godric said.

"I think he's wet himself." Salazar pointed out.

"Fine." Time said, and they took the charms off of her, and she bodily picked Ron up and handed him to Arthur. "He's yours." She snapped, and gathered the four founders, Griffin, and Ginny, and they faded from sight, and they reappeared in Griffin's chambers.

"Did you have to yell at him like that?" Ginny asked.

"No, but if I hadn't there's the slightest chance that Voldemort could have won." Time said.

Ginny's eyes widened. "Why?"

"Because he would have gone off next week because he had overheard Slytherins talking about an attack, and he would have gotten himself killed. Instead he will tell Dumbledore and he will live, and so will most of the muggles." Time said tiredly.

"Oh." Ginny said softly. "Slytherin? Did he really wet himself?" Ginny asked.

"No." Salazar replied. "You are heir to Gryffindor you know, you can call me Salazar."

"Thank you. How do you know that I am heir to Gryffindor?" Ginny asked.

"I confirmed it." Godric said from where he was floating up in the air. "Actually I choose you, I had a rather nice selection." Godric said.

"I suppose so. Why are you floating?" Ginny asked.

"Makes my back hurt less, and I have enough power to do it." Godric said.

"He's showing off." Helga said, doing some needlepoint that she had brought along.

"Okay." Ginny replied, leaning against Griffin, she realized that she felt at home here. She smiled and shut her eyes.

"What's she smiling about?" Salazar asked.

"She realized that she belongs with us." Griffin said proudly.

"That is excellent." Rowena said.

"Yes, did you guys have fun?" Griffin asked.

"I haven't fought like that in ages." Godric said.

"Neither have I, I'll be hurting in the morning." Rowena said.

"I'm already sore." Helga commented.

"I think I pulled a muscle." Salazar added.

"I've been looking forward to that fight for ages." Time muttered. "It was ever so fun."

The other chuckled, and Griffin decided that it wouldn't hurt much to close his eyes.

A/N:** This is very important, so I suggest that you read it.** Well, I got a headache on Saturday, and it's now Tuesday, and I still have the heaadache. Occasionally this happens, and I am going to have to quit posting new chapters to this story for a while, at least until my headaches go away. IF I am on the computer past my limits, my head hurts very much, and yesterday I was working on this, I finished it, but my head hurt so badly I couyld barely make it to my room, and I've taken 3 ibuprofen to no avail, so I'm going to have to quit. Here's the address to my xanga, if there's a chance that i'll be posting it will be there first.

www. xanga . com / home . aspx ? user emikae

I'm teribbly sorry that i can't do shout-outs, but all of your reviews were very welcome, and i will try to get the next chapter up as soon as i can, whih right now appears to be mid-November. If the headaches haven't stopped by halloween, i'll be going to the doctors, so next chapter will be up before christmas, i can promise that. I'm sorry for doing this to you guys, i don't want to , but it appears that i have to. please don't be too mad or anything.  
-emikae


	19. Chapter Nineteen

Disclaimer: This is not mine. It belongs to J. K. Rowling. The general idea isn't even mine. The characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and the general idea belongs to Severitus. So please don't sue. Thank you.

Things Are Looking Up

Chapter Nineteen

Ginny Weasley woke up slowly. She wasn't in the dorm, she could tell that, and she was leaning on someone. It felt like her muscles were on fire. The events of last night came flooding back at her. "Oh God…" Ginny moaned.

A silky voice chuckled and hen said, "I suppose you hurt a little?"

"Yeah." Ginny said except for it came out as a croak.

"I think you may have overdone it." Griffin commented, realizing that he still had an arm around Ginny and it felt like tons of pins and needles were pricking it.

"You think?" Ginny asked sarcastically. "I don't think I can move."

"I'm sorry. Did they not tell you that you would be sore tomorrow?" Griffin asked.

"Sore. They said sore. This isn't sore, this is like I've been on a rack and it's just been tightened a dozen notches." Ginny said, opening her eyes and then closing them. "It's really bright in here."

"That's another thing they neglected to tell you then. Your brain is a little unsettled, so you have a really bad headache." Griffin said softly. "I'm sorry, I have an inkling of how much it hurts."

"Really?" Ginny asked skeptically.

"Yeah, they used it when I was near to mastering the art, but I had hit a block. They gave me the knowledge and I fought and then they took it away, although I had already been practicing for quite a few years then." Griffin said ruefully.

"Do you regret going away?" Ginny asked softly.

"No, not really. Although I will miss Ron, when he finds out who I am, he might not ever talk to me again. I don't know if I should really associate with Hermione because she might guess, and Well, then there's you." Griffin said softly.

"Me?" Ginny asked, sounding puzzled.

"Yes, you. I need to know, were you serious about going out with me?" Griffin asked.

Ginny thought for a moment. "Yeah. I think that I want to stay for the Christmas hols."

"Really?" Griffin asked.

"Yeah, you could get lonely." Ginny replied, grinning.

"Me? Lonely? That'd be the day." Griffin said, knowing that it was all too true.

Ginny shook her head quickly. "Er, Griffin? Dumbledore's coming. With my mum, and McGonagall."

Griffin swore softly. "Do you want to sit on your own?" Griffin asked, knowing full well how Molly might react to see her only daughter nestled up against a strange person. The fact that they were both fully clothed didn't matter much. Griffin's cloak had been covering them, and it twitched as if to wrap itself around Griffin, but Griffin shook his head.

"I'm fine here. When I shook my head it hurt more. Do you have any potions to help it?" Ginny asked.

"'Fraid not. You could take a potion, but it would help for only a little while, and then the pain would return stronger than ever." Griffin said.

"And you know that how?" Ginny asked quietly.

"Experience. Painful experience, I might add." Griffin grinned.

"Okay then. They're nearly here." Ginny said, and Griffin's cloak covered Ginny's head as she ducked under it. "Break it to mum gently." She asked.

"I will." Griffin sat back and waited. He could feel the three in his aura spread thin to prevent any unwelcome surprises. Mrs. Weasley was definitely angry, and Dumbledore was… He couldn't read Dumbledore's emotions, but McGonagall was a little fearful. Probably because she had seen some of his powers in use. _Damn._ He had meant to keep his magical strength a secret for a while longer.

Seconds later there was a knock on his door, and Dumbledore came in. His eyes landed on Griffin, and he smiled. Mrs. Weasley and Professor McGonagall were thankfully behind Dumbledore and they were being silent.

Dumbledore looked at a chair, and Griffin nodded.

"Go ahead, sit." Griffin said.

"Thank you." Dumbledore replied, sitting on the couch opposite Griffin, and Mrs. Weasley sat in the leather chair adjacent to the couch Dumbledore was on, and Professor McGonagall sat next to Dumbledore.

"Mr. Delacroix, we were wondering what has happened to your acquaintances." Dumbledore said bluntly.

_Well that was to the point._ Griffin sighed. "I believe that they have returned home. Although they could be somewhere in the castle, I am not their keeper." Griffin said.

"And Miss Weasley?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"She had a master's knowledge given to her brain last night. It was a one time thing, and she is quite sore and has a terrible headache, so I request that you please talk softly." Griffin said softly. Dumbledore winced a little, and Griffin realized the he must have had gone through the experience once or twice.

"That's all very nice, but where is my daughter?" Molly asked, glaring at Griffin.

_Time to face the music._ "She's—" Griffin began, but was cut off by Ginny.

"Right here." She said softly.

"Ginny!" Molly exclaimed.

Ginny winced. "Not so loud mum. I feel as if my head is being bashed in with a rock." Ginny said softly, here eyes closed.

"Dear, why don't you let me have a look at you?" Molly asked, starting to get up. "Surely there is a potion that will—"

"No." Dumbledore said firmly. "Any potion will just make it worse."

"I really insist on being able to at least look at her." Molly snapped, moving over to Ginny. "Now, if you'll just get up." She said, looking at Harry with a glare that would make Severus proud.

"Mum. Let him be. Moving hurts." Ginny said."

"Ginny. You are lying on a boy. One whom you've only just met." Molly said.

"Actually, I'm lying on a couch, and Griffin just has an arm around me which was to keep me from falling off the sofa." Ginny replied, frowning in her mother's direction.

"Is this true?" Molly asked, restraining herself from shouting, as she could apparently tell that he daughter was in pain.

Griffin sighed. "Yes it's true. She nearly fell off, and I knew that she'd be hurting just a little, and well, she ended up sitting next to me, and then she fell asleep, and after a while, I guess that I did too. Only to wake to keep Ginny from falling off the sofa. That's just what happened." Griffin explained a bit hurriedly. Just then, Griffin sensed someone entering his magical aura. Apparently Hogwarts was helping him out by spreading his magical sense father then it could go. He could sense one very angry older brother headed this way. Griffin gulped. There was really only one thing that he could do. "Ginny?" Griffin asked in an odd voice.

"Yes?" She asked.

"Could you protect me from your brother?" Griffin asked.

Ginny grinned, and chuckled a little, and tried opening her eyes to see if the light still bothered them. Yep, it did. "You? The almighty Griffin? Need protection from Ronnikins?" She asked.

"I'm not all-knowing, that's Time." He said rolling his eyes.

"Oh yes!" Dumbledore suddenly said. "Who were those people with you. They claimed to be the founders, but that is quite impossible." Dumbledore suddenly said.

"Well, sir, if you didn't believe them there is nothing I can do for you." Griffin said.

Ginny sighed, and wiggled around a little, and ended up with here face resting on Griffin's chest. "I think she's sleeping." Griffin said, his face turning a brilliant shade of red the rivaled the Gryffindor scarlet.

"She's better be." Molly muttered.

"As much as I'd love to chat with you, I'm quite exhausted from the events of last night, and I'd like to attempt to get some sleep." Griffin said.

Molly looked thoughtful, and cast a charm over the two, and smiled. "I have no problem."

Griffin smiled to himself. He wasn't planning on doing that with Ginny, although he wouldn't mind… "Mrs. Weasley, let me assure you that any intentions I have towards your daughter are completely honest."

Molly sat up a bit straighter, and smiled. "Thank you. That is somewhat reassuring, but I'd still like to get to know you better before anything serious happens." Molly said.

"Quite understandable." Griffin replied, closing his eyes. "I'll see if I could make time to get better acquainted with you."

"That would be lovely." Molly replied.

"Good-bye Griffin." Dumbledore said, ushering the two women out of Griffin's rooms. Before closing the door, Dumbledore winked at Griffin.

Griffin drifted off to sleep thinking about that wink. Had he figured out his true identity? Or was that directed at the fact that he had a beautiful female currently sleeping on him? So many things to ponder. He decided to think about it later. Preferably when he didn't feel like he had a herd of Hippogriffs running races in his head.

"What do you mean you don't who know they are?" he proclaimed in a high pitched voice.

The cloaked figure kneeled before him. "Master. I—I am sorry. I was not able to—"

"I do not want your apologies!" Lord Voldemort proclaimed. "_crucio_." He declared in a cold voice, causing the cloaked figure to scream in pain, and hundreds of miles away Griffin woke Ginny with his screams.

Ginny shook Griffin. "Griffin! Wake up!" She said.

Time came bustling into the room from a door that hadn't been there before. "He's having one of his dreams, isn't he?"

"Yeah, I can't get him to wake up." Ginny said.

"Here, let me." Time said, and she covered the area where the scar was, and Griffin immediately woke, blinking eyes that were now green.

"I'm sorry." Griffin croaked.

Time frowned, and she conjured a glass of water and handed it to Griffin.

He took it then frowned. "What's in here?"

"Just the potion we came up with to help." Time said. Griffin nodded and drank the glass dry.

"Thanks." He replied, his voice back to normal. "How's your head?" He asked Ginny.

Ginny grinned. "Better."

"Good." Griffin replied. Then he looked at Time. "She's going to have to be trained, isn't she?"

Time nodded.

"How long do you think she will need?" Griffin asked, examining Ginny magically.

"We only have two weeks, and it will take her at least five years to get the skills, and possibly another two to hone her skills." Time said.

"Do we have the time?" Griffin asked.

"I think so." Time replied. "I'll have to get permission to change things a bit though."

Ginny was watching this exchange with interest.

"Change things a bit?" Griffin asked, frowning.

"Just make time go even more faster. Maybe double or preferably triple it." Time replied.

"Can you do that?" Griffin asked.

"It's been done in the past, but the council has to vote on it, and then it goes to the residents. If it's for a good cause, they will usually agree." Time replied.

"Okay, well then, we need the other three heirs and possibly that rest of the nine." Griffin replied thoughtfully.

"Yes. That would be nice. I'll have to talk to the others about this. I think you should explain this to your lady. She looks confused." Time said, grinning at Ginny before walking back through where she had come. For a second, Ginny thought that she had seen an archway there with a black veil in it.

"Okay. It looks like you're going to the Citadel of Time for a few years. More like seven, or more depending on what Time can get done." Griffin said, but was immediately cut off by Ginny.

"YEARS?!" She squeaked, her eyes wide.

"I should reiterate. Time runs differently there. Remember when I was lemon dropping you guys every half hour?" He asked.

"Yeah…" Ginny replied, remembering once when they had all been talking for a few hours, Harry had 'lemon dropped' each of them about every half hour.

"Well I was doing that every night before bed." Griffin replied. "If a week passes here, normally, a year passes there. I was gone for three months, but I was training for twelve years."

Ginny's eyes grew wide. "So if I was to go there for training, and Time can do what she wanted, I would be there for years?"

Griffin grinned. "Yeah. You're the heir for Gryffindor apparently, and you are a major component in this war. If you were wondering, I'm heir for Ravenclaw, I got that through Severus. We've figured out that Draco is the heir for Slytherin, through his mum, and Lucius, Neville is the heir of Hufflepuff, and Amy has blood of the four in her, connecting all five of us. There was a prophecy made, and it goes like this.

"The heirs grow closer…. Blood of old flows through new…. There will be five…. Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor all in one…. There will be five heirs; nine to save the school…. Slytherin has it from both mother and father… Gryffindor is one in many, only one is right so choose carefully…. Ravenclaw's parentage is shrouded in mystery…. Hufflepuff is not who you would think, but is coming into power…. All five heirs shall unite…. If this does not come to pass Hogwarts will fall into the hands of the Dark Lord…. There will be the wolf, otter, lion, and fox to help…. yet they cannot do it alone…. The nine must unite or Hogwarts will fall…. The heirs grow closer."

Ginny blinked. "Are you sure about the identities?"

"At least of the heirs. The founders paid a quick visit and identified them. You are Gryffindor, Draco is Slytherin, Neville is Hufflepuff, I am Ravenclaw, Amy has got all four in her somehow. The wolf is Remus, Hermione would be the otter, Severus is the lion, and Ron is the fox." Griffin said.

"Well. Do they have to train too?" Ginny asked.

"Yep. All nine of us do." Griffin replied. "After the eight of you get good, we're going to learn to work as a team, so we will be completely attuned to each other, and if one of us needs help, one of the others should be there right away."

Ginny blinked. "Sort of like my Telepath talents?" She asked.

"Yes, in fact that will make it easier for you." Griffin replied.

"Okay." Ginny replied, and winced. "Ron just found out where your rooms are. And he's very angry with you."

"So Ronnikins is coming to get me?" Griffin asked. "Can you pick up on any of his thoughts, if he angry he should be doing a fair job of projecting them."

Ginny thought for a moment, and closed her eyes. Her expression changed to on of rage for a few seconds than changed to one of fear. "I could. Mainly I could pick up, castrate, kill, Ginny's dead, torture, and then I got out of there."

Griffin gulped. "Well then, I'll just activate my personal wards." Griffin said, and was momentarily surrounded by an aura that glowed blue-green.

Ravenclaw stuck her head through the wall. "You activated your wards, why?"

"Ron found out where my rooms are , and he seems a little angry." Griffin replied staring at the door.

Rowena closed her eyes. "He is mad. I can feel him." She pointed her wands at Ginny, and she was surrounded by a blue-gold aura that faded from sight.

"What was that? It felt cold." Ginny asked shivering.

"Just a little something to protect you if your brother gets out of hand dear." Rowena replied, and pulled her head back into the room she was in with the others.

Godric stepped out, and looked around. "I don't see anything that he could do permanent damage to either of you with. Remember, his best friend just died, and he went on a suicide mission, and he came back alive. Not to mention that he sister stayed the night with a strange man whom he knows nothing about." Godric said. "I'm sure that you two will be fine." He said, then left the room.

Griffin gulped nervously, and his gray cloak settled on his shoulders. Ginny looked at it.

"Why'd your cloak go from the couch to you?" She asked.

"It's got a number of protection spell woven into it, and when I feel threatened, it will do it's best to protect me." Griffin said, absently stroking the edge of it. Just then the door slammed open, and a very angry Ron Weasley stormed into the room. Immediately his eyes fell on Griffin.

"Who are you an what do you think you're doing with my sister? He asked in a dangerous voice, his wand pointing at Griffin.

"Well, I was talking—" Griffin said nonchalantly.

"I mean last night." Ron eyes fell on Ginny, and they narrowed. "Forget about you." He spat out, striding across the room, and grabbed Ginny by the wrist. "C'mon Ginny. We're getting out of here." He started to pull Ginny.

Griffin could see that Ron was hurting her. "Let go of her." Griffin said quietly.

"Make me." Ron said, still pulling Ginny towards the door.

"Remember, you said it." Griffin replied, grinning at Ginny.

Ginny winced. Ron was squeezing tightly. She did not like that expression on Griffins face. Griffin came striding across the room, and put a hand on Ginny's arm, she felt a warmth spread down her arm, and center where Ron was holding her. Ron still gripped tightly, but her robes were beginning to smoke. Ron suddenly yelped and let go, looking at his hand. There was a blister on his hand and fingers, and Ginny's robes were burning merrily around her wrist.

"I'm impressed." Ginny said. "Why doesn't it hurt me, and why aren't my robes burning all over?"

"Control." Griffin replied, bringing his hand down in a sharp motion. The flames went out. "Now shall we sort out our differences?" This comment was directed at Ron.

Ron glared at Griffin, cradling his burnt hand.

Griffin raised an eyebrow. "I told you to let her go. She obviously did not wish to leave."

"She shouldn't have been here in the first place!" Ron snapped.

"Oh really? And why is that?" Griffin replied, joining Ginny on the couch, a little too close for Ron's comfort.

"She should have been in her dorm where she belongs." Ron snapped. Glaring at Ginny.

She glared back.

"Actually, she does not belong there." Griffin replied, putting an arm around Ginny.

"Then where does she belong?" Ron snapped, restraining himself from going and ripping Griffin arm off of his sister.

"She belongs here. With me." Griffin sad softly, achieving the desired effect.

Ron paled, and then went a dangerous shade of red. "AND HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT? SHE BARELY EVEN KNOWS YOU!! HER BOYFRIEND'S JUST DIED, SHE'S PROBABLY JUST USING YOU!!!!" Ron shouted at Griffin.

"Actually—" Ginny began, but was cut off by Ron.

"HARRY JUST DIED! DID YOU EVEN CARE FOR HIM AT ALL? OR WAS THAT JUST FOR FUN?? WAS IT ALL AN ACT?? WERE YOU JUST WITH HIM BECAUSE HE WAS FAMOUS?" Ron shouted at his sister.

Griffin sighed and appeared to be flicking something off of his finger towards Ron. Immediately Ron shut up. "There, now that is much better. I will not have you talking to Ginny like that. She is your sister. Respect her. Now, I will let you in on a secret, but I will warn you. Included with the little secret, is a tiny curse. Known as a blood oath curse." Griffin said. A drop of blood dripped from Ron's finger and landed on a piece of parchment. "I am warning you, if you try to tell anyone, you will not like what happens. In short, you may die. So I suggest that you keep this to yourself. And before you protest it, Ginny, I don't want to do it, but it is necessary."

"Okay, for your information, Harry Potter did not just die last night. I fact he saved your skin. To the wizarding world, yes he is dead. This is all part of an important plan that cannot be messed up. Harry's death has made Voldemort very happy. Voldemort will find out in a month, and begin to attack in earnest, but he will be met by a group of nine who will bring his downfall."

"Where is Harry?" Ron asked, glaring at Griffin.

"Right in front of you." Salazar said from behind Ron. Ron jumped and whirled.

"Thank you Salazar." Griffin replied.

"Harry?" Ron asked.

"Yes, but I happen to be going by Griffin now, so I'd like to be called that. And next time you try and attack me you will not like that outcome." Griffin said coldly.

Salazar grinned from behind Ron. "The otter approaches."

Griffin barely had time to process the words when his vision was obscured by a mass of brown bushy hair. "Hi Hermione."

Hermione didn't reply, but cried onto Griffin's shoulders.

"Hermione?" Griffin asked.

"Don't you ever do that again." Hermione said in-between sobs.

"Do what?" Griffin asked.

"Die on us. You have no idea how much that scared me." Hermione sobbed.

"Oh, I'm really sorry, I hated to do that, but it was necessary." Griffin replied. "This cloak is relatively new."

Hermione immediately got up, and sat in a chair. "I'm sorry." She said rubbing her face with the sleeve of her robe. A handkerchief appeared in the air in front of her.

"Here." Griffin said bluntly. Hermione blinked at it, and then plucked it from the air.

"Where'd you learn that?" Hermione asked, wiping her face.

"Told you that one would come in handy." Time said, her eyes dancing as she looked at them.

"Of course you did, you're Time." Griffin replied bluntly. "There's our answer Hermione."

Hermione turned to look at Time.

"Why don't we come and join the conversation?" Helga's voice asked.

Murmurs of agreement were heard, and there were five more chairs and the four founders and Time joined in on the discussion that was about to take place.

"We're missing five." Griffin said.

"We'll go and get them." Time said, and they disappeared with barely audible pops.

"Where's they go?" Hermione asked. "It's impossible to apparate—"

"Not for the founders or Time, Hermione" Griffin said.

Hermione's eyes grew as wide as saucers. "You mean they were—" She left the end dangling.

"They were my dear friends, and training masters, Helga, Salazar, Godric, and many times grandmother, Rowena."

"She has your eyes, Harry." Hermione said.

"Griffin. Harry Potter is dead, I've killed him. My name is Griffin, and you better get used to it." Griffin said.

"Why?" Hermione asked.

"Why? It was necessary. I'll answer it later, let's just wait for the other's. They'll have to walk back.

"Okay." Hermione said, grudgingly accepting Griffin's answer. "So Ginny, where'd you learn to fight like that?"

"I don't know how to. The knowledge was just loaned to me, but I'll be going away to learn."

"What?" Ron exclaimed.

"Hush. You'll be going with her." Griffin snapped.

"Really?" Ron asked.

"Yeah, really. Your break is going to suck my friend." Griffin replied.

Ron's eyes narrowed. "That will be because?"

"It will go on for years, and all you'll be doing us learning." Griffin replied, watching as Hermione's eye's lit up.

"Oh, Please, can I come?" She asked eagerly.

"OF course you'll come." Time said, pulling Severus and Draco into the room along with Salazar. "So will these two." She said.

"Who're we waiting on now?" Salazar asked.

"Rowena who is getting Amy, and Godric who is getting Remus, and Helga who's getting Neville." Griffin replied.

"We're here." Rowena said, entering along with the others.

"Will you tell me why we're here?" Remus snapped, and the he sniffed the air and looked directly at Griffin.

Griffin gulped. "Hello, I'm Griffin." He smiled brightly.

"You." Remus hissed.

Griffin cringed. His scent must not have changed. "Yes? I have a good idea of what you're going to say. So why don't you not say it, and let Time explain things."

"Oh no, Griffin, I won't be explaining things, you will be." Time said grinning evilly at him.

"Why me?" Griffin asked.

"Because you were the one who got me involved in your life." Time said smirking. "But I will tell Reums, okay? I don't think that the others are prepared for this completely. In fact, I'll even take him to get his things and leave him with Rose's parents, I think they'll be pleased to see him." Time said, putting a nmild silencing charm on Remus.

"With all due respect, you were the one who approached me." Griffin said, still glaring at Time.

"You agreed with me." Time said replied.

"Only because I didn't want to watch everyone in this room die a horrible death and then die myself trying to defeat the Dark Lord!" Griffin snapped, and then cringed and then clapped his hand over his mouth.

"I feel a little lost here." Ginny said.

"Okay here, let me put it this way." Griffin snapped. "She," he pointed at Time, "Came to talk to me, and said that I could go to the Citadel of Time to prepare for the Second war, as I would be a major player in it, and she showed me a vision in what would happen if I didn't." Griffin said, closing his eyes as he remembered it. He had watched Ron be ripped apart by Aragog, who had eaten Hagrid, Ginny had been raped by the Death Eaters and the murdered, Hermione had met the same fate along with her mum. Percy had gone dark and killed the Twins and his parents, Bill had been burnt to death by a dragon, Dumbledore had been tortured to the brink of death but allowed to heal, only to be tortured again and again. Mercifully, Harry's death had been short and only had a few crucio's in it. Ron's mum had been forced to watch had her husband and son's were tortured and killed before her eyes, then she had been kept prisoner. Thankfully, he hadn't been able to witness her fate.

Severus had been discovered as a spy, and he had been tortured and the knifed to death, a spy's death was not a pretty sight. Harry's acquaintances had just been tortured, raped, or asked to join, depending on who they were. Harry had seen so many students commit suicide, the sight of students jumping off of the many towers and turrets of Hogwarts had become a common sight in his dreams. Most were Slytherins, too afraid to face the Dark Lord. Their theory was, anything was better than service to HIM. Griffin shook his head slightly to forget about the thoughts and visions that were running through his head. He had spent plenty of time dwelling on them, and they still had the power to suck him in at times. It was rather frightening.

Rowena swore, and walked over to Griffin, and shook him by the shoulder rather hard. Griffin's eye's snapped open. Somewhere in his musings, Time had left with Remus.

"I got sucked in again?" HE asked rather weakly.

Helga nodded, and conjured a mild calming tea. Griffin took it and sipped gratefully.

"Well, to put it nicely, I choose the option that let us live, and Voldemort possibly be defeated." Griffin said.

"But how?" Severus asked.

"Simple." Griffin said, "I was shown a vision of what would happen if I wasn't properly trained, and preferring to be able to live with all of you alive, I choose to go to the citadel instead of dying trying to kill Voldemort." Griffin said, gathering his thoughts. HE wasn't sure if they could handle hearing about THAT, so he decided to tell them later. "I believe that is all."

"No way. You were gone for months in a strange place, and you come back completely different and we're supposed to believe that is all. Why don't we hear about this vision? Hermione asked.

Griffin shook his head. "I could barley handle it the first time, and had nightmare for weeks afterwards. You are not going to see it. All I will say on the subject, that is if I had not agreed to leave, things would have been a lot worse."

"Glad you think that way." Godric said. "We saw them, and…" Godric shuddered. "I don't even like being reminded of them.

"We're still a bit in the dark here. Perhaps we could see this vision?" Hermione asked.

"NO!" Griffin snapped. "I still get nightmares about them sometimes."

"I thought you had said those had stopped." Helga said accusingly.

"They did, I said sometimes. They're not every night like they used to be." Griffin said.

"Okay." Helga replied.

"Back to the subject. So after I saw them, I agreed to go and train. So I left my friends and now I'm here to make new friends, and help them do some training.

"But why?" Neville asked.

"Simple." Griffin began. "Us nine are very important people who need to unite and train together, until we can fight very well on our own." Griffin said.

"How do you know that?' Ron asked.

"There's a prophecy." Time began walking into the room. Griffin nodded for her to continue. Time did so, and Griffin leaned against Ginny, closing his eyes, they had gone over this so many times, it wasn't worth listening to once again.

Two hours later they were still talking about it, and Griffin was sleeping on Ginny's shoulder.

Neville noticed this. "Time? Griffin's fallen asleep."

Time looked at him, and nodded. "Let him sleep, he had a busy night."

Ron and Hermione had the good graces to look guilty at this.

"So you nine, that is including Griffin, will be going to the Citadel of Time to learn how to fight properly. You leave tomorrow." Time said.

"Tomorrow?" Draco exclaimed.

"Yes tomorrow, and you'll be there for at least ten years." Time said.

"YEARS?" Neville exclaimed.

"Technically you'll be gone three weeks." Time replied.

"I though it a week is a year?" Severus asked.

"It is, but I've speeded it up because of the coming threat." Time explained.

"Oh." Severus replied.

"I suggest that you go and pack." Time said.

Hermione nodded absently.

"Hermione?" Time asked.

Hermione jumped. "Sorry, I was thinking." She muttered.

"You mean that the prospect of being taught by the founders just sunk in?" Time asked.

Hermione smiled ruefully. "Something like that. I've got to go and explain to my parents."

"That's right, they're staying at the castle." Time said.

"They are. They decided to stay and teach. Mum's going to be teaching muggle Herbology, and Dad will be helping in the hospital wing because he also a pediatrician as ell as a dentist."

"Lovely. They will be a success." Time said. "Did you know that the magic from the castle is rubbing off on them?"

"What?" Hermione asked.

"In a few years, they will be able to do small spells like 'lumos' and after ten years they will be strong enough to do more advanced spells, just enough to do a patronus. Your mum will develop it first, and will do it when she is angry with your sister." Time said.

"Sister?" Hermione asked.

"She's pregnant, only a few weeks along, so she has no idea yet." Time replied.

"Oh my." Hermione said weakly, and then collected herself.. "Well, I have to go and pack."

"Don't tell her." Time replied.

"Of course not." Hermione said weakly.

"Too much?" Time asked mischievously.

"Just a bit." Hermione replied, standing up.

"It's twins. A boy and a girl." Time said.

Hermione promptly fainted, and Ginny chuckled.

"I shouldn't have said that." Time muttered pulling her smelling salts out again.

"You knew that." Griffin said groggily.

"Yes I did." Time said, chuckling.

"Where are the others?" Griffin asked.

"They've gone to pack." Ginny replied, watching as Hermione opened her eyes.

"Twins?" She asked.

"Yes, Like Fred and George." Time said.

"Pranksters?" She asked sounding mildly horrified.

"No, that's going to be Griffin and Ginny's kid." Time said.

"Oh." Hermione said faintly.

"Just go and pack." Time said.

"Yes, I'll do that, before I get any more news." Hermione said, getting up.

"That's a good idea, but be nice to Ron when you're giving birth to his first child. When you threaten to castrate him he actually believes it." Time said.

Hermione coughed, and looked at Time warily. "I think I'll leave." She said, nearly running out of the room.

"Mortals. So fun to scare." She said.

"Yes, I thought we'd agreed that you wouldn't do that?" Griffin asked.

"We didn't. My fingers were crossed. After you defeat the Dark Lord, turn Colin down nicely."

Griffin sighed, quite used to Time telling him things about his future. "I always wondered about him. I suppose my death crushed him."

"It didn't. He's go a crush on Draco now." Salazar said.

"Really?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah, I caught him leaving a love letter in his room." Salazar replied.

"Poor Draco." Griffin replied.

Time laughed evilly. "I'll be back sometime tomorrow morning to get all of you."

Griffin nodded. "I think I'm going to catch up on my sleep some more. I know how exhausted I will be by tomorrow night."

"You guys get a day to settle in." Time said.

"Yeah, but that day I'll be attacked by Rose." Griffin said.

"She looked really cute." Ginny said. "I want to meet her."

"Of course you do, now that she has got her power under control." Griffin said.

Ginny laughed. "Of course. Wait. She has her power under control at age four?" Ginny asked.

"Technically she's been around for nearly two hundred years, but she has the body of a four year old. She is about as smart as a ten year old, and will start learning when she turns five." Griffin said, then saw Ginny's blank expression. "We went over this. James and Lily were allowed to have children, but their bodies age at the same rate that people do here. So when I was in second year, Rose was born. But since then, in the Citadel, two centuries have gone by. Remember? A week here equals a year there, normally. Now a week here equals a little over three years there. It's confusing at first, but you'll get it." Griffin said.

"I think I'm starting to." Ginny said.

"Okay then. Why don't you go and pack. Then explain it to your parents where you're going." Griffin said.

"Fine." Ginny replied, she smiled at Griffin, and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, and left the room blushing a bright pink.

Griffin watched her go, and the door to his rooms closed itself. "Why didn't you tell me that I would barely be here for two days?" Griffin asked.

"I don't know. You missed Hogwarts really badly." Time said. "Now, I've got to go home and prepare rooms for them. Do you mind if they share your chambers?" Time asked.

"It will be nice to have them near me. I suppose that I'll be sharing my bathroom?" Griffin asked.

"Yeah. But I might be able to give you separate rooms." Time said.

"Okay." Griffin said, stretching out on the sofa again.

"We'll see you tomorrow." Time said fading from sight.

"Tomorrow." Griffin said to an empty room before falling asleep yet again.

"I know mum." Ginny said.

"Well you could haven gotten killed last night and I refuse to let you go off somewhere." Molly Weasley said.

"Mum, I need to learn, because I happen to be heir to Gryffindor and I have to help defeat the Dark Lord. If I don't learn it is very possible that we could all die. Do you want to die?" Ginny asked.

"Why are you heir to Gryffindor?" Molly asked. "What's wrong with Ron?"

"I don't know. Gryffindor chose me, not Ron, but Ron's going to have to go too."

"Fine." Molly said.

Ginny hugged her mum tightly. "Thank you so much!" She exclaimed. "I'll miss you so much."

"You'll only be gone for a few weeks though." Molly said patting her daughter on the back.

"I know, but I'll still miss you." Ginny said.

"Now, don't you need to go and pack?" Molly asked.

"Yeah, I do. But I'll spend the entire evening with you." Ginny said, hurrying off to her dorm to pack.

Draco was busy packing his things, his mind in a whirl. He was going to train to fight against the Dark Lord! Not only that, but he was important! Who would have thought? He had always been jealous of Potter, because he had it all, he was rich, famous, and had real friends. Not moochers who were only nice to him because of his father. Not to mention, the fact that he was making some good friends too.

Apparently, Hogwarts was doomed without him. That was an interesting revelation. Draco decided than and there he was going to forget about all of the prejudices that he had learned from the cradle and start anew, in this new place. Perhaps he would find someone.

"Draco? Why are you packing?" Pansy Parkinson asked from the door to his dorm.

"I'm leaving." Draco said quickly without thinking.

"Leaving?" Pansy asked, rushing over to his bed and sitting on it. "But why? I thought that you were going to stay? We were going to have such fun." Pansy said in what she thought was flirtatious tone.

"Just for over the hols." Draco reassured her for no apparent reason.

"But WHY?" Pansy whined.

Draco cursed inwardly. "I have to meet a few people, and learn a few things." Draco said offhandedly, hoping that she would think he was doing some DE training.

"I thought that we didn't have any of that over winter break?" Pansy said, trying to get more information out of him.

"There isn't. It's special training." Draco said. 'Now, I hate to be rude, but I really must go." Draco said, shrunk his trunk and pocketed it. Ignoring Pansy's spluttering, he left the dorms, hoping that she wouldn't recover until he had got out of the common room at least.

Ten minutes later, Draco slipped into Griffin's rooms and breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank Merlin the staircase changed." He muttered, and was surprised when an old wizard came in though a door that he hadn't noticed before.

"Why, you're welcome, but I am a little confused as to why you are thanking me when you should be thanking the castle." Merlin said, waiting for the boy to notice.

"Thanking you?" Draco queried, his brow furrowed in thought. Then his eyebrows shot up so fast Merlin almost missed it. "You're Merlin?"

"The one and the only." Merlin said, bowing a little from the waist.

"Wow." Draco said. "Aren't you supposed to be dead?" He asked.

"Yes. But I chose life in the Citadel of Time over death." Merlin said.

"OH. Why weren't you at the earlier meeting?" Draco asked.

"I wasn't supposed to be there." Merlin said pointedly.

"That makes sense." Draco replied, sitting in the chair across from the one that Merlin had occupied.

"Of course it does." Merlin said laughing.

Griffin rolled over on the sofa, and said, "A few more minutes mum?"

Draco laughed, and Merlin rolled his eyes. A tinkling laugh could be heard from the other side of the door that Merlin had entered by.

Merlin's gaze snapped to the doorway, and a young girl who resembled Harry came through, looking a little ashamed. Merlin sighed, and patted his laugh.

The girl's expression brightened, and she ran over and climbed into his lap, giving him a hug. "Hey, Uncle Merlin. When are you guys coming back?" She asked.

"We'll be leaving tomorrow, dearie." He replied, hugging the girl around the shoulders.

"Uncle?" Draco asked.

Merlin shook his head. "No, everyone older than ten, is aunt or uncle to this girl." The old wizard said smiling.

"She's cute." Draco said, surprising himself.

"That she is." Merlin replied, a smile gracing his features, then turning to a frown, as he looked down on the head with reddish-brownish hair that tumbled in loose waves halfway down her back.

"Do your parents know that you are here?" Merlin asked.

"Yeah, they gave me a note." Rose replied, fumbling in her pocket for it. She found it, and handed the piece of parchment to Merlin.

He quickly scanned it and smiled. "So me and Griffin are stuck with you?" HE asked.

"Yep. Do you mind if I fix your beard?" She asked, eyeing the long white beard the resembled Dumbledore's.

Merlin thought for a moment, and then said, "I don't mind, but please don't make it that awful shade of green."

"I won't that was an accident, it was supposed to be black." Rose snapped, and set to work intricately braiding the old wizards beard.

Draco watched Rose for a moment. "I don't mean to be rude, but who is she?"

Rose looked around at Draco. "Hi. I'm Rose Clarice Potter. That's my brother. His name is Griffin." She said, pointing to Griffin's slumbering form, then adding, "I want to be a hairdresser when I grow up. I'm quite good at it."

"I'm sure you are." Draco said, looking at the five braids that she was weaving through Merlin's beard. The braid were very well done, only that they were softly glowing pink.

Rose twisted the ends, and the ends of the braids were apparently held magically because there were no ties, and they were staring in place. "There, now you can read at night, Uncle Merlin."

"That's lovely dear." Merlin said, holding up his beard. The glowing braids were very thin, and gave off a small amount of light. "Can I make it brighter, or dimmer?" He asked.

"OF course! I learned that after Jamie complained about his hair being, what was it, oh yeah, too bright too see by." Rose said proudly, eyeing her sleeping brother.

"Good. How do I control it?" Merlin asked.

"With your mind." Rose explained. "When you want it brighter, picture it being brighter, and the same for dimmer." Rose said.

Merlin nodded, and the glow grew so it illuminated the whole room, then diminished until it was barely noticeable.

"Uncle Merlin, do you think that I could explore the castle?" Rose asked.

"Of course, just be careful not to get lost, and if you do, ask the portraits for help." Merlin said.

"Thanks!" Rose said brightly, before sliding off of Merlin's lap and skipping to the door. "Bye." She said before slipping out.

"Do you think that wise?" Draco asked.

"Of course, because Lily and James have put nearly every protection spell they know on her, and she is invisible to anyone that will harm her." Merlin said.

"Oh." Draco said. "She braids nicely."

"That she does." Merlin replied conversationally.

"Is Griffin really her half brother?" Draco asked, eyeing the slumbering figure warily.

"No. But Lily and James sort of adopted him, and Rose and the others see him as a brother.

Neville was packing his things along with Ron and they were chatting about the current change in events.

"I think that it will be fun." Neville said. "Hard, but fun."

"Why? We'll be working, but I think I'd love to learn to fence like Griffin and Ginny did last night." Ron said.

"Why do you call him Griffin?" Neville asked. "Why not his first name? Avery?" Neville asked a little unsure of Griffin's first name.

"Because he wants to be called Griffin, and Avery doesn't seem to fit him.." Ron replied.

"I think there was something in the tea that they gave us." Neville said.

"Why?" Ron asked.

"Because, it was different. I think that I have a gift for this. I know that my mum could always tell if there was something in a drink she had been given. Maybe I inherited it." Neville said.

Ron opened his mouth, but was interrupted by a girlish voice saying, "Hi! Are you two Ron Weasley and Neville Longbottom?"  
They both turned towards the entrance to their dorm, and saw a small girl of about four standing there, and staring at them intently.

"Yeah." Ron said, catching his voice. "Who are you?"

"Me?" The girl asked, climbing onto the nearest bed, Seamus', and grinning when she realize it was quite bouncy. Bouncing experimentally a few time, she sat down and said, "I'm Rose."

"Do you have a last name?" Neville asked.

"Yeah, Potter." Rose said, and Ron gasped. "What, is there something wrong with my name?"

"No, it's just that you have Harry's eyes, and…" Neville trailed off and sniffed a little.

"Oh. That's cause he's my half-brother. Lily's his mum, and Severus is his dad. James is mine, and Lily is my mum." Rose said, ignoring Ron's gasp of surprise.

"Severus? Severus Snape?" He asked, his voice going high-pitched.

"What? You didn't know? I'm sure it's a shock, but he's your best friend, just because his father is a different person doesn't change things, does it?" Rose asked.

"Yeah it does!" Ron exclaimed. "Snapes a Death Eater! He'll probably kill Griffin!"

"No he won't." Rose said. "He's had plenty of time to, and he's not a Death Eater. We found a way to remove the mark, so he has retired." Rose said, then turned to Neville. "Do you have a problem with this?" She asked accusingly.

Neville shook his head hurriedly at the young girls tone. "No, it doesn't change who he is at all, it only means that he has a dad who is alive." Neville said, a wistful expression in his face as he finished his statement.

"Neville, I'm sorry about your parents. I probably shouldn't say this, but, well, they're making some progress in finding a cure at the Citadel. If they could cure them, they'd have to live in the Citadel though." Rose said.

Neville's smile was one that had almost never been seen on his face before. "Any life would be good for them." He said happily. "I better finish packing."

"Yes, I suppose that you should." Rose said. "And just think, how Dumbledore going to react when he finds nine people have gone missing from under his nose." Grinning evilly, she left them, and went to the girls' dormitories and went up to find Ginny packing.

"Hi Ginny." She said.

Ginny looked up and her eyes widened. "I know you." She said, staring at Rose.

"I suppose that you do. How, pray tell?" Rose asked.

"I've seen you before. When Harry was gone." Ginny said, sitting down on her bed.

"Oh. Well, Harry's gone forever, I suppose." Rose said sadly.

Ginny nodded, a tear running down her face. "I know he's not really dead, but I'm still sad."

"It's okay, you're just afraid for Griffin, and if you should really trust him." Rose said.

Ginny nodded. "Should I trust him?"

"You should, I watched as the charms were taken off, and I know that Griffin is Harry." Rose said.

"Charms?" Ginny asked blankly.

"Griffin is Severus' son." Rose said.

"I knew that." Ginny said. "I just forgot for some reason."

"He did that, it had to happen for things to work." Rose said.

"I suppose that it did." Ginny said, using her wand to direct her things into her trunk.

"I'll be leaving you to pack, shall I?" Rose asked.

Ginny nodded, and Rose slipped out of the dorm, going to the common room, to find Linda down there.

"Hello." Linda greeted her. "I don't remember you from before. I'm Linda Granger."

"Hi." Rose said. "I'm Rose Potter." And immediately regretted saying it.

"Oh. Are you related to Harry Potter?" She asked, tears beginning to form in her eyes, and her hand covering her mouth.

Rose nodded.

"Oh my dear, I'm so sorry." She said, kneeling before Rose, and giving her a hug.

"It's okay. He's not really dead you know. It's all part of a plan." Rose said, patting the older woman on the back.

"What makes you say that?" Linda asked.

"Because I helped to plan it. We're terribly sorry for having to put all of you through this, but Voldemort must think that Harry is dead." Rose said.

"Why?" Linda asked.

"Because it will draw him out into the open, making him more vulnerable to attack, now that he thinks his major threat is gone." Hermione said from behind her mother. "Now, who are you, and what are you doing here?" Hermione asked.

"I'm Rose, Griffin's half-sister." Rose said, grinning at Hermione. "And you're Hermione Granger. It was very stupid of you to do what you did last night."

"How do you know about that?" Hermione asked.

"We were allowed to watch back at the Citadel. Griffin had to save you because you were necessary. He thought you had more sense than that." Rose said, glaring at Hermione.

Hermione made an indistinguishable nose in her throat, and turned to her mum.

Rose slipped away, knowing what they were going to discuss. Slipping out of the portrait hole, she began heading for the great hall, having heard about it from both Griffin and her parents, and the founders, she knew that she had to see it. She found the doors, being the size that she was, she was unable to open them, but recalling something she had heard, she squared her shoulders and approached the doors.

"Excuse me, but being the size that I am, mightn't you possibly open for me?" Rose asked. She felt something sweep over her, and the doors creaked open just wide enough for her to enter. "Thank you." She whispered, slipping into the great hall.

She stood by the doors looking up for a full five minutes. She spent another five wandering about the room, thinking how much fun she could have flying in here. At least, she could see what the ceiling was made out of. Or, actually, look at the spells on it. Looking around the Great Hall, she noticed something funny about the wall behind the staff table.

When she had been three, Lily and James had taught her a few spells, one being a revealing spell. It was for her own good. She had also learned to be an animagi, but that had taken a hundred years to master. There were benefits to growing up so slow. By the age of a year, most babies in the Citadel could walk and talk. Simple spells they could master by their second year, and if they truly wanted, they could begin their magical education at the young age of three. Most children waited until five or six, but Rose had been picking things up since around two. Seeing her father change into a stag, she had immediately wanted to learn how, and had asked him. He had started to teach her, thinking that she wouldn't get it for at least three centuries, but in fifty years, she was able to transform into a small wildcat. Of course it had taken her ten minutes to do so, so she had spent the next 150 or so years honing her skill.

Rose walked to the staff table, feeling small, as her head was about the height of the tables. Standing behind the table, she cast the spell, and a photograph was revealed to her eyes. Rose laughed when she saw the picture, her father had told her about this particular event, it had been one of her favorites pranks, mainly because it dealt with people's hair, but also because it was one that took a lot of knowledge to execute correctly.

She laughed, and turned to leave the Great Hall, and walked directly into someone.

I am so sorry that I haven't updated in forever. Life took control and I've been cut off from my computer. I finished this a few days ago, but my computer kept freezing when I tried to save my changes in the quickedit, so I'm doing it in word. Really intelligent of me, right? Well, Happy Christmas, may all annoying family members go to Antarctica and be eaten by penguins. Thanks for reading, and you don't have to review, I really don't care, my head can't get too big. But I think I will be doing some major re writing for this story and will either take it down and start over which seems like the best idea, or just do something else. I might take the severitus component out of it, because it's getting a little, okay, very messy plot wise. Other than that I have nothing more to say than I'm very, very sorry for not updating in months.


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: This is not mine. It belongs to J. K. Rowling. The general idea isn't even mine. The characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and the general idea belongs to Severitus. So please don't sue. Thank you.

Things Are Looking Up

Chapter Twenty

Rose closed her eyes before looking up, hoping that it was one of the nicer professors that her father had told her about. Her bright green eyes met the stern eyes of professor McGonagall, Transfiguration Professor, and Deputy Headmistress.

"Hello." Rose said, hoping to avoid a confrontation. She might be able to get away, using the element of surprise, but then she wouldn't be able to explore, she'd have to hide out in Griffin's rooms.

"Hello, I'm Professor McGonagall," The woman said, her frown disappearing to be replaced by a grandmotherly smile. "Would you mind telling me what your name is?"

"Er…" Rose said, sounding much like her half-brother, Griffin.

Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow. "I'm waiting." She said, fingering her wand in her pocket, ready to stun the child if she proved to be a Death Eater in disguise.

Rose, having picked up slight Legimency skills, took a quick peek into McGonagall's mind. Her eyes widened slightly when she realized that she was prepared to stun her. "My name is Rose." She said quickly.

"Well Rose," Professor McGonagall replied, "Do you have a second name?"

Rose nodded, putting up shields in her mind, as Professor McGonagall could be a Legimins, you never knew with Hogwarts staff. Rose noticed that there was a black armband on the Professor's arm. Probably for Harry, she thought. Pity he had to be killed off, but I suppose that Griffin has it better, not being famous and all.

Professor McGonagall frowned, the child was resisting her probe. "What is your second name?" She asked.

"I'm not sure if I can tell you." Rose said, looking McGonagall in the eyes once more.

Professor McGonagall gasped. Those eyes… "Rose? Is your last name Potter?" She asked, thinking that is was impossible. It couldn't be true… to her chagrin, Rose nodded, and then ran from the hall.

As soon as Rose got out of the hall, she transformed into a wild cat and headed out of the school, heading towards the gamekeeper's hut. Where Rebeus Hagrid was currently clutching his head in agony, thinking Never again. Never more than… I don't know how many I had last night, but never more than two. Never.

Hagrid was thrust out of his musings, and looked up to see Fang start barking wildly and a small wild cat with striking green eyes rush under his bed. Eyes that reminded him forcibly of something he didn't want to think of. Actually, it was more like someone, but what was the difference? There was no hope. Hagrid forgot all about the wild cat, and got himself another drink.

Professor McGonagall heard Hagrid's dog start to bark and smiled grimly. Hopefully the girl had gone that way. She strode across the grounds towards Hagrid's hut. Reaching the door, she noticed that it was wide open with some fresh looking claw marks in it. Hagrid appeared to be fine, sitting at his table with a pitcher of… Minerva stepped in and took a whiff.

Minerva sighed quietly, and pulled out a potion that would counter the affects of alcohol. She carried it out of habit, mainly for Mundungus Fletcher, as he couldn't attend Order meetings drunk, could he?

"Hagrid? Here, drink this." Minerva said, handing the vial to Hagrid.

Hagrid took the vial and tipped the contents into his mouth. Minerva sat down across from him, and moved the bottle of something that smelled strongly of alcohol to the small cupboard, and waited for the potion to take effect.

"'Ello. When'd you get 'ere?" Hagrid asked, noticing Minerva for the first time.

"A little while ago. I have to ask, did you see a small girl with red hair, and green eyes like Harry's come by here?" Minerva asked, closing her eyes briefly, to keep herself from crying.

"No." Hagrid said, turning his face towards his bed, to keep Minerva from seeing the tears that gathered there. Then he caught sight of Fang dragging a small wild cat out from under the bed by the scruff of her neck. The cat was letting herself be dragged out, as if resigned to her fate. Then Hagrid caught sight of her eyes.

"Minerva?" Hagrid asked, wondering if he was hallucinating.

"I see it too." Minerva said, waking over to the wild cat who sat there, glaring at her. She smiled to herself, thinking, I've found the girl! A jet of blue-white light shot of her wand, and a few seconds later, Rose Potter was standing in the place of the cat. "Hello Miss Potter." Minerva said, ignoring Hagrid's gasp. "Now could you tell me if that's really who you are and what you are doing here?"

As it was more of an order than a question, Rose had no choice but to answer. "Yes, My full name is Rose Clarice Potter. I'm four years old, and my parents are Lily and James Potter." Rose said, glaring at Professor McGonagall. To her great surprise, the Professor promptly passed out.

"Hagrid? Do you want to wake her up?" Rose asked, sitting down in an empty chair.

Hagrid didn't respond for a little while, and then he finally asked, "How?"

"How what? How am I Lily and James' daughter?" Rose asked.

Hagrid nodded mutely, and Rose smirked evilly.

"Well, one night about five and a half years ago, Lily and James both went to a party, and they got a little drunk, and one their way back to their rooms, they took a detour to a lovely secluded garden." Rose pretended to not notice Hagrid blanch, she had chosen to answer this way for a reason. "It was the full moon, and James was feeling a little down because he missed the romps he and the Marauders would take then. So Lily decided to cheer him up. She banished him into the pond, and James pulled Lily in with her. They took off their outer robes because they had decided to go for a swim. Well, one thing led to another, and I arrived nine months later." Rose finished, noticing the McGonagall had come to while she was telling Hagrid how she had come to be.

Hagrid opened his eyes, and opened his mouth.

"Would you like me to go into more detail?" Rose asked, suppressing a grin.

Hagrid shook his head furiously. "No. But How are you Lily and James' daughter when they're dead?" Hagrid said.

"Unless they've died in the past day or so, they're still alive." Rose said.

"How are they alive, Miss Potter, if that is who you really are." Professor McGonagall said dryly, getting up and sitting once again in her chair. "They were hit with killing curses fifteen years ago."

"Yeah, but they were from Voldemort." Rose said. "The goddess Time decreed that the killing was worthless, and some weren't meant to die, and she decreed that all murdered by Tom Riddle, shall have a choice of life in the Citadel of Time, or in the realms of Death. Obviously Lily and James chose the Citadel." Rose said. "Now if you'll excuse me, Griffin should be waking up soon, and I want to see him. He should know that I'm here, he is, after all, my half brother." Rose said, fading from sight, leaving Professor McGonagall and Hagrid to wonder where she was. She had been given a few spells to use if she was in trouble, and the teleportation one was one of them, she would lose the knowledge one she returned to the Citadel, but why waste them when you had them?

Rose materialized just inside of the door to Griffin's temporary chambers. She smiled when she saw him sleeping on his sofa. She shook her head, and called his name. "Griffin?"

"Go 'way, 's too early to wake up, Rose." Griffin mumbled.

Rose grinned, he had seconded the motion. She ran and jumped, transforming mid-jump, to land on Griffin's stomach, his green eyes staring up into hers. She gave him the feline equivalent of a grin and licked his cheek with her rough tongue.

"Ugh. Rose, why do you always have to wake me up this way?" He asked, scratching behind her ears.

Rose began purring, and then pricked her ears at the sound of people approaching She jumped off of Griffin's chest and slipped under the couch that Griffin had been sleeping on. Griffin sighed, and sat up, staring pointedly at his door. A few seconds mater Professor McGonagall came in.

"You. Are you the son of Lily or James?" She asked, glaring at Griffin.

Griffin raised an eyebrow that Professor McGonagall couldn't see because his cloak had returned and his face wasn't visible. "It's a possibility." He said finally.

"What do you mean by that?" Minerva snapped.

"I mean that where I have been for the past twelve or so years, both of my parents were absent." Griffin said, telling the truth, in a way.

"I'm sorry." The stern Professor said, her expression softening slightly.

"Why? Unless you took them and murdered them, or prevented them from returning, it's not your fault." Griffin said, taking a seat and motioning for Minerva to do the same.

"True." Minerva agreed. "Call me Minerva, I'm head of Gryffindor house."

"Well, Minerva, it's nice to meet you." Griffin said. "Now I believe that you came here for a reason?"

Minerva nodded. "Yes, I met the most interesting girl here, claiming to be your sister." She watched the area of Griffin's face for some visible sign of recognition, but the shadows from the hood of the cloak were too much. "She claimed that her name was Rose Clarice Potter. Do you know her?"

Griffin sighed. "Yes I do. Her family took me in and I lived with them. She came to regard me as a brother. And before you say it, I know that Lily and James Potter are dead, but they happen to be alive and well in the Citadel of Time." Griffin said watching Minerva's face.

The only reaction he got was Minerva closing her eyes and rubbing them tiredly. "Do you knew where Rose is?" She asked.

"She's under the couch." Griffin said. A few seconds later, Rose herself in her animal form, came barreling out from under the couch and pounced on Griffin.

"Okay. Is she an animagi?" Minerva asked.

"You already know that." Griffin said, moving Rose off of him and putting her on the couch next to him. "Transform or I'll have Time take you home."

Rose resumed her human form very quickly. "Hey Griffin, long time, no see? Right?" She asked weakly.

Griffin sighed. "Rose what are you doing here?"

"Mum and Dad said I could" Rose replied defensively.

"Okay, what are you doing here?" Griffin asked again.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Sight seeing." She said grinning, "Do you wanna go down to Hogsmeade with me?"

"Rose…" Griffin said, trying to find a good way to tell her that he had quite a few things and going to Hogsmeade wasn't one of them.

"Fine, I'm perfectly able to go by myself." Rose said, and started for the door.

Griffin sighed. "Fine I'll take you, but we're going to be leaving soon."

"Okay, might as well see as much as I can." Rose replied. "Can we go now?"

"I suppose." Griffin said, while thinking of how he would be able to manage getting the notes that he needed to get, and take Rose to Hogsmeade. Professor McGonagall must have sensed something in his voice, foe a moment later, she spoke up.

"If you don't mind, I could take her down. I have a few things to do in Hogsmeade, and it wouldn't be too much trouble." She said, eyeing the young child with a calculative look on her face.

"Griffin can I?" Rose pleaded with him. She had obviously taken a liking to the Transfiguration teacher.

"If you promise not to annoy her and be good, then I don't have a problem with it." Griffin said.

"Oh thank you Griffin!" Rose exclaimed, hugging him tightly before picking up a small bag that Griffin had not noticed before. She pulled out a minuscule bag and a cloak. With two taps of her fingers, the bag grew to the size of Rose's hand and the cloak to a size that would fit her.

Minerva frowned, and looked questioningly at Griffin.

"She has lived all of her life in the Citadel of Time. She was born four and a half years ago in Hogwarts' time, but living in the Citadel of time, she has lived around 230 years there." Griffin said. "Time passes differently there."

"OH." Was about all the stern professor could say, and Griffin grinned. "Well I suppose that you two should be going, could you get her back here by half past five? That will give you two a good four hours for shopping." Griffin said.

Minerva thought for a moment. Then she nodded. "Of course I will."

Rose grinned and then dragged Minerva out of Griffin's rooms towards the doors that led out of Hogwarts.

Griffin sighed, and decided to go the library where he had to do some research.

Hermione was walking along the halls with Amy. Both were being relatively silent until Hermione broke the silence.

"There's something familiar about Griffin. I just can't place it."

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Amy replied. "Sirius wouldn't leave his rooms."

"Really?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, about halfway through that long discussion on what we were meant for, he slithered off of me and went to explore the room. I couldn't see him at all, so I left him there, I hope that Griffin doesn't mind."

"I don't think that he will. As long as he doesn't get a shock by seeing a large snake transform into a wanted criminal, he should be fine." Hermione replied. "Do you want to go to the library to see if we could find anything about Griffin's family, what was his last name, Delacroix?"

"Yeah. It sounded French." Amy said.

"This is going to be hard, we only really have this evening to do this because we're leaving tomorrow." Hermione said, walking a little faster in the direction of the library. Amy smiled to herself and caught up with Hermione, and together they went towards the library. When Amy caught sight of Madam Pince she cringed, knowing that she would have to beg off for the holidays.

Griffin was quite pleased, he had found the book that he was looking for. The only problem, was that it was written in what appeared to be German. As he hadn't had time to learn a new language, he was quite unable to read it. Perhaps he could find a spell that could translate it. Griffin sighed and once again began searching the library at Hogwarts.

Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, was currently pacing in his office, and was not even paying attention to the calls of his phoenix. There was something about that Griffin. He just couldn't put his finger on it. Not to mention the magical residue in his office. It was very slight, and he'd had to have been looking for it to have found it, and he had been.

Yet it was such a small amount, it could be anything. It could have been some raw power that had escaped from one of his many instruments, or even some that had come from one of the professors in their distress in hearing that Harry Potter had died. Or even from Molly Weasley at hearing that her youngest son had gone out on a suicide mission.

That brought Dumbledore to his latest problem in a string of many. If Harry had died, and the body did seem genuine, who would kill Voldemort? Looks like the prophesied one was indeed Neville Longbottom. No one had thought to say that the attack on the Longbottoms had been before the Dark Lord fell, in fact, he had made sure that news of the attack on them only got out after the Dark Lord had fallen. Neville didn't know it, but he had a small pentagram on the back of his left knee, where a stray curse of some sort had hit him.

Now Dumbledore was thinking that curse had not been so stray after all. Lily Potter had been worried about Neville, and had taken him in until his grandmother had made the proper arrangements for him. Thankfully Neville had gone to his grandmother's the day before Halloween. Perhaps it was time to have a small chat with Neville. It could wait until after Harry's memorial and funeral.

Dumbledore sighed, and went back to planning the event in honor of the Boy-Who-Had-Finally-Fallen.

Hermione glared at the empty spot on the shelf. It should have been there! Why would it not be there? Inconceivable! She had just been looking at it not only two days ago. Who would have taken it? Not only was it huge, it was dusty, and had a very odd smell to it. The only person on the school who would have taken it would be… No one. Except for possibly a teacher. That might definitely be a possibility. But which teacher? It was a History book! The only teacher who would have likely taken a History book would have been Professor Binns, and he couldn't have taken it, he wasn't solid! Inconceivable!

Hermione tried summoning the book, but it didn't come. That had to meant that it was out of her range. Which meant that it had to be out of the library. Inconceivable! Who would take a two hundred year old tome that was updated magically every ten years out the library? Especially when it was on genealogy, and weighted at least twenty stone. It was inconceivable! (Princess Bride anyone?)

Not to mention that it was written in German. Hermione of course, knew a number of translation spells. But who would have taken a book written in German out of the library? It was :::ahem::: INCONCEIVABLE!

On the other side of the library, Griffin was moving the tip of his wand along under a line, and watching as the words appeared in English, floating about the German text. Griffin had set up some wards, if only to be not bothered by any students who had stayed behind, or had returned for his funeral. He was wondering if he should ask Time if the group could stay for the funeral, but they probably couldn't spare the time. Unless it would be tomorrow, Griffin and the others would have to miss it.

Of course, it wasn't really that important. He hoped that it would be tomorrow, the illusion wouldn't last that long. There might be a slight problem when the boy-who-finally-died corpse disappeared. Just a small one, but he wanted to be out of the castle when that happened. Of course, he could always go and lock himself in Rowena's, they wouldn't be able to find him. Other than that, things should be fine. At least he thought so.

Griffin grinned. He had found it.

_The family Ravenclaw came from the family Cleaskye. It is reputed that during a family luncheon, Angelo Cleaskye and his twin brother, whose name is not mentioned, got into an argument about whether the wheat rolls were better with butter or the raspberry jam. Angelo stormed off, to resurface in the wizarding world as Angelo Ravenclaw. The surname 'Ravenclaw' is because Angelo had a great passion for ravens and he bread them. One of them is said to have carried him his wand when he lost it in a battle, the raven's claw was severed from the bird, but it has succeeded in retrieving his master's wand. The raven's claw was a great family heirloom, only to be lost around the time of the Hogwarts' founder, Rowena Ravenclaw's death. _

_The Cleaskye family, in another feud, this time about the quality of the wine, broke off into yet another branch, the Clearwaters._

Griffin closed the book with a slight snap and then looked around hurriedly to see if Madam Pince was on her way to give him a stern talking to. Then, smiling wryly, he remembered his wards. With a slight wand of a finger, he dissolved the wards and to his great surprise the book whizzed out of his loose grasp, and around the corner.

Raising his eyebrows, Griffin got up and followed the book.

Hermione was attempting to find another book on genealogy, but was having little success. The one that was simply entitle '_Wizarding Genealogy_' was the best one. Who would have taken it? A slight whistling sounded behind her. Hermione's heart wrenched, Harry had used to whistle like that, when he was deep in thought, or flying. Harry wouldn't whistle any more. Wiping a tear from her cheek, she turned, and saw the book she had been looking for flying at her. A few feet behind that was Griffin, looking at the book with raised eyebrows.

"I wondered who had summoned that particular book. It looked most unused." He said, looking at her with eyes that seemed to see her very soul. Thoughts of Ron, her parents, and Hogwarts came unbidden to her mind. Hermione shook her head to clear it.

"What do you want?" She snapped, flipping to the back of the book.

"I want to know why you want that book." Griffin said, then added as an after thought. "I'll know if you lie."

Hermione thought for a moment. "I wanted to trace Harry's family back, to see if he was related to anyone I might know."

Griffin grinned inwardly. Partly true, but a lie, nonetheless. He called to Hermione's magical aura, and made it glow around her for a few moments. "I'd like the truth please."

Hermione stared at him for a few moments. "Fine. I'm tracing your lineage. I don't think that you are who you say you are."

Griffin made the glow disappear. "Thank you for the truth. You won't find my family in there. We are very fond of our privacy. You will find some of my relatives, but not my direct lineage. Look if you must. We are somewhat distantly related to the Clearwaters. That is all I will say." Griffin said.

Hermione spluttered for a few moments. Griffin took advantage of it and left. His dark gray cloak billowing behind him.

Wasn't his cloak light gray before? Hermione thought watching his back.

Griffin silently chuckled to himself, tonight Hermione was going to tire herself out, searching for a mention of the Delacroix family. Quite possibly the reason why he knew that she was lying, and the reason for the aura around her. That had a simple explanation, he had used Legimency to see if she was lying, and then he called to her aura making it show itself, when she was lying. Maybe he should go back an tell her what he had done? Nah, better let her stew on it a while. She might even figure it out.

Remus Lupin had passed out on when he had seen Lily and James, and the small children surrounding them.

Lily and James had laughed, and levitated him to the couch, leaving him to wake up on his own term. Jamie and Jessie, Jamie's twin, were keeping on eye on him. Jamie had prodded Jessie with a conjured stick, and she had conjured her own, and they were happily fighting each other, so they didn't notice Severus crawl out into the room, and around them, and onto Remus. Where he began to bounce on the werewolf's stomach.

Remus, on the other hand, did. Gasping for air, he opened his eyes, to see what looked like a one year old Harry, bouncing on him. Not thinking, he sat up , and set the boy on his lap. He then noticed what looked like James and Lily staff fighting. But, that was impossible, they were dead. But he had seen an older James and Lily before… fainting? But Harry was at Hogwarts, even if he was calling himself Griffin. Then who was this baby?

He didn't smell like Harry, but his scent was close to Harry's. He could definitely smell Lily and James in the air. So was he dead? If Lily and James were dead, would they have more children in the Realm of the Dead? Not likely. So he could rule that out. If he wasn't in the realm of the Dead, where was he? The two children fighting, smelled of sweat, and happiness? Then it was a friendly duel. Remus sniffed, a pungent odor piercing his nose.

Oh. The baby needed to be changed. "Excuse me." HE said. The two children ignored his voice. He tried a little louder this time. "Excuse me!" The two children stopped fighting, and whirled to him.

"Oh." The girl said.

"You're awake." The boy added.

"I hope you haven't had—" She said.

"Too much of a fright." He finished.

"Mum and Dad said that you might—" She said.

"Be a little shocked." He said.

"I'm Jessica, but please call me Jessie, I'm only Jessica when Mum's mad at me." Jessie said.

"And I'm Jamie. That's short for James, but it gets too confusing, so I'm just called Jamie." Jamie said.

"Okay." Remus said, appearing a bit dazed. "Who is this? He needs a change." Remus added, holding the baby up.

"That's Severus." Jamie said.

"MUM!" Jessie yelled. "Severus needs a change!"

Jamie winced and said, "That was my ear."

"Oh sorry." Jessie said, and moved around to Jamie's other side and yelled in his ear, "That better?"

Jamie winced again, and said, "No, but just leave it."

When Jessie drew a breath, Jamie scuttled out of the way, and around to behind Remus.

Reums turned to look at Jamie and nearly gagged. The baby's, Severus', diaper really needed to be changed. And soon. "He's your brother right?" Jamie nodded. "Good. He really needs to be changed."

Jamie nodded once again, and took Severus. Just then, a woman who looked very much like Lily, came down a set of stairs that were some sort of marble. They were quite pretty, reddish flecked with bits of gold. As the woman's feet didn't make any noise on them, and seemed to sink into them, and Lily usually wore some type of heels, he decided that they had been charmed, most likely for the children's safety. Lily had always been good at charms…

"Remus?" The woman asked tentatively.

Remus nodded.

"Good, You've come round." She said, turning to the set of twins who looked like Lily and James. "Now why didn't you tell me that he had woken up?" She asked, glaring at them.

"They didn't notice me. They were busy staff fighting. Jessie is quite good at it." Remus said.

"Oh." The woman replied. "I suppose that you want an explanation?" She asked.

"Yes, that would be lovely." Remus said.

"Okay, Why don't Jessie and James run and get something from the kitchens, and I'll start explaining this to you." The woman who looked and smelled like Lily said.

"Okay." Remus replied, watching the retreating backs of the two children.

Lily smiled fondly at the two children, and sniffed the air. She noticed that Severus had crawled off and was in the process of trying to climb the stairs. "I'll be right back. He needs to be changed, and I'll put him down for his nap. Be right back." Lily said before walking over to Severus and climbing the stairs with him.

Remus leaned back, and was lost in his thoughts. He didn't notice the stag creeping across the room until it was almost standing on top of him. Remus jumped, and then began rubbing his eyes furiously. There was a slight pop, and then a man's deep laughter. Laughter that Remus hadn't heard for nigh on fifteen years.

The laughing died down to a chuckle, and the man said, "'Lo, Moony, it's been awhile, hasn't it?"

"James?" Remus asked, looking up at messy black hair, and a grinning face.

"In the flesh." James replied.

"Prove it." Remus said.

"I solemnly swear I'm up to no good." James replied.

Remus grinned, stood, and hugged James. "You have no idea how good it is to see you."

"I have a vague idea. Does Lily know that you're awake?" James asked.

"Yeah, she was going to put that baby top sleep and then explain things to me." Remus replied.

"Do you think that can wait?" James asked.

"Why?" Remus replied a little skeptically.

"There's the most wonderful pub…" James' voice trailed off.

Remus turned the idea over in his head. It had been a long while since he had gone to a pub with James, so why not? Lily wouldn't stay mad that long… Remus grinned at James. "Show me the way!"

James laughed, and scribbled a note to Lily, and showed Remus the way to the pub that he favored.

When Lily came down ten minutes later, as Severus hadn't wanted to take a nap, she saw an empty sitting room with a glowing note in the center of it. She walked over and the note quit glowing orange.

Lily-

Remus and I have gone out to the pub, and I will explain things to him. We will be back before tomorrow. I love you.

-James

Lily sighed. They might be back before tomorrow, and they might not be. Well, might as well make the best of the situation. Rose was gone, and her room was a tad on the messy side. She was sure that James wanted his office cleaned up, last time she had looked in there, it was very cluttered. Was he even using the enchanted file drawer she had sent Sirius out to get him for his birthday? She might as well get it set up so he would use it.

With that last thought, Lily grinned, and she went upstairs, and began to pick up Rose's room, and in the process finding out exactly where her curlers had gone. And her brush. And her mirror. And the charmed comb. Lily shook her head, she should really get Rose her own things, and charm them so they wouldn't get lost. That would make a good Christmas present…

Rose Clarice Potter was smiling. Actually she was smirking. She had successfully ditched Professor McGonagall, and had activated the notice-me-not charms on her. She was now in Diagon Alley, and debating whether or not she wanted to go into Weasley Wizard's Wheezes.

Entering the Hogsmeade Branch, she was greeted by a red-headed man. Well really a teen, he didn't look that old.

"Hello, Welcome to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes! May I be of service to you?" Fred Weasley asked the small girl and then frowned down at her.

"Yes, actually, I'm visiting friends at Hogwarts, and managed to ditch the Professor that went with me to Hogsmeade. After some consideration I decided that it would be prudent to come here." Rose said, hoping top make the boy think. He was obviously of Weasley get, he had the red hair.

Fred shook his head, for all that the girl looked four, she sounded twenty. And she looked an awful lot like Harry… Fred shook his head once again. That was impossible, Harry was dead. And his funeral was in, Merlin! He only had two more hours until he had to close shop. "Well, Miss—"

"Potter." Rose filled in, and then once again activated the notice-me-not charms, forgetting where she was.

"That won't work." Fred said. "There are charms that let us know where a customer is, really cuts down on theft. So Miss Potter, if that's who you really are, why don't you take your spells off and we can have a little chat."

"I'd rather not, but it appears that I have to." Rose said, dropping the spells.

Fred smiled a thank-you and he led Rose into a back room. "Now you just sit tight, I'm going to get my brother, he'll help with you. Not that I'll need it of course." Fred added with a malicious grin.

Rose gulped. She had been entertained with stories of the Weasley twins when Harry had been there, and she was not looking forward to what was coming towards her at an alarming rate. Maybe he had left the rooms unwarded? Rose asked herself hopefully. Spreading out her power, she sighed, there were wards. She would have to wait until the boys returned.

She heard a door creak in the outer shop. Either a customer, or Fred had returned with George. Rose felt for her small blades, all were in place. No-one knew it, but she had been sneaking to train herself with weapons, just in case. It appeared that the lessons that she had taught herself might be coming in handy.

Fred and George returned to see Rose grinning at them before she disappeared completely and utterly from their shop.

"MUM!" Rose shouted as her mother's face came into focus. "Why'd you pull me back!"

"Because the final battle is due to start in about ten minutes and all the others are training very hard and you, against my wishes, will be fighting. Run along to the training rooms before they start without you." Lily said before going off to start getting back into shape. They still had years if Time decreed it so, she had slowed time down so slowly that a Second was equal to a year.

Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Draco, and all the others were starting their training and they didn't really have time to think. They had been forced to start training and would be worked so hard that they would barley have time to sleep.

"MY faithful followers, I bring you here today. Today is the day. We will be attacking Hogwarts. With the wards low because the students are gone, we will attack and we will win! We leave in fifteen minutes time." Voldemort said, before disappearing into his chambers to ready himself for battle.

"What do you mean they are attacking in fifteen minutes?" Dumbledore asked the dying Death Eater before him.

"They will be here in mere minutes. Give in or die trying." The Death Eater gasped as breath left his body.

"ALL STAFF AND STUDENTS WILL REPORT TO THE GREAT HALL IMMEADITLEY." Rang though the halls of Hogwarts.

"Professors, Students, and Fried who find refuge here, I regret to inform you that the Death Eaters will be attacking in force, in roughly ten minutes. You may leave, I will not blame you for death is almost certain. IF you wish to fight and protect this school which has yet to fall to Lord Voldemort, you may, I will not stop you. I will be leading the attack. You will find battle robes over there." Dumbledore finished gravely, looking from face to face. Before he apparated away up to his office.

"I'm fighting." Colin Creevy proclaimed, and he went over to get a set of battle robes, he was followed by many other students, but some, Slytherin and Gryffindors alike, went to their dormitories and barricaded themselves in to wait out the battle.

Griffin look around at his friends and comrades in arms. "Today, we will be returning to Hogwarts, we have been here for years, but gone for mere minutes. We are more then ready to fight the Death Eaters. Using sword, staff, arrow, and glaive, we will win. Dark will not prevail. Any questions?" Griffin asked.

"I'm going with you." James said.

"No you are not. You have a family, and they can't afford to lose you." Griffin said fiercely.

"I will not lose you. You are not my son in blood, but you are most certainly my son in soul, I am going with you." James finished, glaring at Griffin as if daring him to refuse him.

"And am I." Lily said softly, and Griffin whirled on him.

"No! You are my mother, I only just found you, and I don't want to lose you again." Griffin said.

"My sons and daughters are fighting, my husband is fighting, my friends are fighting, I will be fighting too. I will not stand by and watch my family fight, I will be out the with them." Lily said.

"Fine!" Griffin said, turning to Time, who shocked him.

"My Lord, I gladly follow you into battle." She said with a curtsey and a glint in her eye that wasn't good.

"What?!" Griffin cried, shocked as he turned to Godric.

"As will I." Godric said, bowing.

"No more! I'm not leading this, I'm following!" Griffin said whirling, looking for someone to stand up for him.

"You are learning, we are following. We trained you to be a leader, you are a leader, and we are willingly following you into battle." Time said, "Now, let's get going, we're late."

Griffin nodded, and at a jog, they left the Citadel of Time and apparated to Hogwarts. He immediately began setting up wards around the castle, making it so that those inside could not leave and those outside could not enter unless he took them down with the password Moldy-Voldy-kins, or if he had fallen on the battle field.

A few seconds later, with a multitude of pops, the black robed Death Eaters apparated onto Hogwarts, the wards having fallen the day before. They instead of facing an empty castle with illy-warned occupants, scrambling to defend it, they were facing a multitude of white robed warriors.

"Hello." Griffin said, before firing a cure at the shocked Death Eaters. The curse, having been a difficult on to master and one that took about a day to set up, had gained power, residing in Griffin's sword, did quite a bit of damage. Many of the Death Eaters suddenly found themselves wearing only pink boxers and their magic stripped away. They were basically muggles.

"That's not funny!" One of the Death Eaters yelled out when the Warriors from the citadel began laughing.

"Actually it is." Griffin replied, and began sneaking off to where Voldemort was at the back. The others, noting that he was going off to do what he had to do, charged forward, dodging and shielding themselves from what spells the Death Eaters that could still use a wand shot at them.

On his way there, he began incanting the spell that would bind Voldemort's soul into a rock he had picked up and spelled heavily for protection. The spell finished, Griffin crept within throwing distance and threw the rock at Voldemort.

It hit him in the head and with the contact, it did the equivalent of the Dementor's kiss. Griffin summoned the rock and added a few more charms for protection and noting that the body still survived, he drew the sword and beheaded him. Shaking his head at the simplicity of it all, he pulled the portkey that would take him to Hawaii out and activated it, pulling his invisibility cloak on at the last moment.

Ducking behind a palm tree, he cast some notice-me-not charms on himself and his broom, and flew to one of the active volcanoes. Flying over it, he dropped the rock in, and felt when the rock was destroyed in his scar. It was no longer there at all, and the unpleasant sense of evil in his head was gone. It was finished, Voldemort was gone. But there was still a battle to win. Pity he couldn't stay and get a tan, it really seemed quite nice here. Other than the fact that it was raining. Maybe he could looking into building a summer home here.

The Death Eaters still alive froze, they felt a gentle tugging on their left forearms. Every so gently and ever so quickly, their life-force draining away, leaving them dead on the battle field.

"He must of bound their lives to his." Time muttered, kicking one of the Death Eater's lifeless forms.

"I believe that is what he did. That means that Griffin did what he needed to do." Helga replied, coming up to stand beside Time.

"So shall we hang around for the celebrations our go have our own?" Rowena asked Helga.

"I think I'll be going home, I'm looking forward to the first lie-in for years." Lily replied.

"MUM!" Rose cried. "You pulled me away to train, now I can't stay and party?"

"You're four years old." Lily replied tiredly, looking at her hands which were empty.

"I don't feel four years old." Rose replied.

"Of course you don't, you're fought in a war at four years old." Lily replied, and then burst into tears. "What was I thinking" She sobbed. "I let my baby go into battle when she was only four years old."

James stumbled over, looking no worse for the wear, but a little dazed. A cut on his arm bled sluggishly. "It's okay lily. Everything's just fine." He said, sitting down on the ground, and pulling Lily down with him.

Griffin landed beside his mother and James. He gave them a quick hug, and said, "C'mon Rose, lets go and tell the people in the castle what happened after we find the others."

Rose tugged on Griffin's robes and he shook his head, but picked her up anyways, and they went off in search of their friends.

THE END

Okay, I know, crappy ending, right? Well, I'm working on the rewrite and it will be better then this, but still follow the general plot line. At least I think so. I probably won't start posting it until I finish with Correspondence. I'll leave this one up only because of the sheer amount of effort I put into it.

I'd like to say thank you for all of your reviews and happy new year1 I spent about six months on this and now its finished! I intend to spend another happy six months on the rewrite which will be posted as Ditched by the Dursleys, which is what it being called in my notebook. Thank you once again for all of your wonderful reviews and to that one flamer from a few chapters ago, you do have a point, and I will take your advice, but not _all_ of it, I won't stop writing or whatever you though I should do. Sorry for boring you all.

emikae


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